Dear Ash
by cyhuciga
Summary: Ash Ketchum goes home to find that the world he has always known, was not always as he knows it. Follow the adventures of a young man as he finds his place in the world. I know I contradict excepted facts of the Pokémon anime, bear with me I'm going somewhere with it. Please comment, criticism welcome.
1. Prologue

Prologue

* * *

Ash Ketchum and Pikachu. A trainer and Pokémon with just one goal, to be the best. Ash and Pikachu started their journey together, a long time ago... How long Ash couldn't remember anymore. He could recall that first day as if it were last week. And every adventure since he holds dearly in his mind, beautiful and vivid.

Yet if he were to look back and count the adventures, it would seem like years. All the friends he made, people and Pokémon; and his traveling companions, Misty, Brock, Tracey, May, Max, Dawn, Iris, Cilan, Serena, Eureka, Clemont, just to name a few. It was amazing how much had happened to Ash since starting his Pokémon journey, on the day he turned ten.

Ash and his companions arrive at the PokéCenter, the first one they have seen in weeks, or months even. Time has little meaning on the road, and even less to Ash and Pikachu. The first thing to be done is to give their Pokémon to Nurse Joy, so she can heal all the scratches and bruises they naturally accumulate, in or out of battle. And, most importantly to some of the Pokémon, a good meal.

Ash excused himself from the others while they wait, Pikachu in tow. It's been a while since they were in a PokéCenter, and as a result it's also been a while since Ash has called home. First he checked for messages using his Pokédex. The Pokédex is like a dictionary for Pokémon, containing unbelievable amount of information on every Pokémon Ash has met. But it's more than even that. In addition to scanning Pokémon, it's also Ash's official ID proving he is a trainer, from Pallet Town in Kanto.

Professor Oak, the one who gave Ash the Pokédex and Pikachu, once told him never to lose it or there would be terrible consequences. He said that it's not just an ID, but identifies Ash's Pokémon as his. While the owner data for the Pokémon is stored on the PokeBall, that information is connected directly to the ID in the Pokédex. It keeps track of how many he has, so if Ash catches more than six, the excess will be sent to Professor Oak for safe keeping, through a network built by a man named Bill. Ash actually met Bill once, but that's another is, the Pokédex also used Bill's network so that Ash can access his Pokémon at Professor Oak's lab, items at his home, and kept a video message box that Ash could access from the computers at any PokéCenter around the world. Ash didn't really understand all of it, but he got that the Pokédex was a big deal.

As Ash pulled out the chair to sit down, he slipped his Pokédex into the open slot in the computer. Pikachu jumped up to sit in Ash's lap and watches the computer boot and access Ash's personal account, via Bill's network. The first thing Ash wanted to do was call his Mom to tell her he's okay, but he stopped. In the sidebar of the video phone screen, an envelope was dancing in place and the number 37 sat next to it. Ash had 37 messages? He'd never had so many at once. Not even when he'd been out of contact for twice this long...

His mom used to tell him to check his messages first, in case something important happened and you need to know. Bad situations don't stand still, so if there are multiple messages, something could have changed that you may need to know. She told Ash to check all his messages before calling. Of course this was something she never seemed to practice herself, but that was beside the point.

The messages went back a month and a half. The earliest were from Ash's Mom and a couple from Tracey, who was now an assistant to Professor Oak.

"Hi Ash and Pikachu!"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu gave his standard greeting for Ash's Mom, even though he knew it was a recording. It was the usual kind of message she left for him, asking how Ash was, if he was eating right, was he changing and washing his underwear? Normal as it was, the message did give Ash comfort to know she was thinking of him.

When the message finished, he started the next one. This time, Ash's Mom didn't speak right away. She seemed, worried. Hesitating, she eventually said, "Ash, I need you to call me as soon as you can. Okay? Please Ash." That surprised him. What had happened to make her act that way?

The next one was much the same, asking Ash to call when he could. All of hers were like that until Ash reached a message from Tracey. He looked as if he hadn't slept in days and was in some room Ash had never seen. "Ash, where are you? There's something you need to know, but I can't tell you in a video message. You deserve better. Please, call me the minute you get this. Don't call the lab. Call the hospital, or leave a message on my account and stay where you are until I call you back."

Hospital? What hospital? Was someone sick? Frantic, Ash skipped to a more recent message, this one from Gary. Gary was Ash's oldest rival, or at least he was until they had put aside their differences when Gary decided to study Pokémon like his grandfather Professor Oak. Since then they had sparsely kept in touch, but Ash still considered him a good friend. "What the Muk Ash!? Where are you? I've called a hundred times! A loser like you can't have so much losing to do that you can't find the time to call me back! Think you're too good for us, you idiot!?" Gary slammed the table with both hands, hiding his face he began to shake. In a restrained tone, "Just call back okay?"

Gary hadn't acted like that in ages. Ever since he started his studies, Gary didn't so much as call Ash a stink breath. Ash knew something was wrong and couldn't stand it any longer. Skipping the remaining messages, Ash called his Mom's house directly.

There was no answer.

Ash checked the information on the message from Tracey, and found the number for the hospital. The one who answered was a male nurse. "Viridian Medical, how can I help you?"

"I'm looking for Delia Ketchum?" Ash nearly shouted.

The man on the other end considered for a moment."Ketchum... Oh, you must be Delia's son Ash."

"Yes. Is my mom there?"

Again the man considered, as if choosing his words. "No. She, left a couple days ago."

"A couple days ago? Why was she there? Was she sick? Is Tracey still there? What's going on!?"

"I don't think I'm the one to tell you that. I'm sorry. Try calling Tracey directly." The male nurse hung up. Ash was bewildered. He couldn't think straight. But he needed to know. Opening his contacts, Ash selected the option to call Tracey at his last known location. This feature called the last place that someone logged onto Bill's network.

The tension built in Ash with each ring. He felt he might burst, but finally someone picked up. It wasn't Tracey though. It was Nurse Joy. "Hello, Professor Oak's lab," she greeted, hiccuping in the middle. She was indeed in Professor Oak's lab, Ash knew it from all the times he had visited and called. But why was she there? And who were all the other people behind her?

Ash didn't have time to consider. "Is my mom there?"

Taken aback, Joy responded "Who?"

"Delia Ketchum? Is she there?"

"Oh, you must be Ash Ketchum. Professor Oak spoke so highly of you."

"Pi?" Pikachu said in almost a whisper, and Ash was too anxious to hear. Something was odd about Nurse Joy. All the Joys he knew were, well, joyfull. They were always pleasant and ready to do anything to brighten your day. Unless of course they were lecturing you on how to be kind to other people, or more importantly to your Pokémon. But this Joy was doing neither.

"Is my mom there?"

"Oh, yes," Nurse Joy was startled into remembering Ash's request, "Just a moment." She stood up and walked off away from the camera.

An unbearable number of seconds later, Ash's mom appeared on the screen and sat down. Ash allowed himself to relax, but that small hope was dashed when she didn't speak or even look straight at Ash for more than a second. "Ash, honey, there's something I need to tell you..."

Spoke. Thoughts began to appear in Ash's mind, like bubbles in a pot of boiling water. Each one rose to the surface in quick succession. Ash's mom called weeks ago. Tracey had called from the hospital. His mom was wearing black. Same for Nurse Joy, the odd thing about her wasn't her demeanor, but her clothing was black. Gary had yelled at him to come home. Spoke. Don't call Oak's lab, but the hospital. Call Tracey because Ash's mom wasn't at the hospital. The people in the lab, were wearing black... Spoke. Nurse Joy had said 'spoke'. Passed tense. And through it all, there was one person who had not called, had not been seen.

All the bubbles of thought rose and threatened to boil over Ash's mind, but went horribly silent at his mom's next words, "Professor Oak is dead."

"Pika?" Pikachu uttered a horrible whimper. Ash's mom paused before explaining more, of which Ash heard and responded to every word. But that wasn't really Ash. He was broke in two.

One Ash was his body, sitting in the PokéCenter listening to his mom. The second Ash, the real one, retreated into his mind, into the void. There he floated, holding two separate ideas, one in each hand. The first was like a toy, with a triangular hole in the side. It was the world as Ash had always seen it. How reality was, is, and always would be, a fact. In the other hand was something smaller, a squarish block. It was thing Ash's mom had just told him, 'Professor Oak is dead'. Something Ash couldn't believe.

The second idea was small, small enough that it could fit into the hole in the idea in his other hand. Were it not for the hole being shaped like a triangle and the second idea being a square. They didn't fit. They couldn't. A child could tell you that. Besides, putting those two ideas together would be... wrong, horrible, and abomination. No, they didn't belong.

But even in the void of his mind, Ash could hear the faint sound of his mom talking. Every word she spoke pushed the two ideas closer together. He couldn't let that happen. Ash struggled to keep them separated. But there was something else. Pikachu. He was rubbing against Ash's shirt. His shirt was wet. Somehow, noticing this only made the two ideas pull harder. Ash pulled the idea of the world and the idea of Oak not being in the world apart with such ferocity that he tasted salt.

"Ash, are you okay?" The words pulled Ash out of his mind, merging him back with his body. He stood up immediately, only catching Pikachu by reflex before he fell.

Ash couldn't breath and the phlegm in his throat muffled the sound, but he managed to say "I'm coming home. Right away." His mom's eyes were shining, in the most pitiful way. She nodded in acknowledgement.

If Ash had room for the emotion, he would have been surprised at how well he spoke over the next few minutes. He explained why he needed to leave for his hometown right away. Showing their support, they figured out the best way for Ash to do just that. There was an airport two towns over. The town they were heading for anyway, because it had the next gym. But that didn't seem important anymore. Walking wasn't an option. Walking was normally their prefered method of travel, like most trainers, and even more so for Ash. His dad used to say that 'adventures don't just happen at the destination, but in the journey to get there.'

Besides, it would take a couple days to get there. Ash had to get home now. He would take a bus into town, another to the airport. Then he'd take two planes to Saffron City. From there, get on buses to Cerulean, to Pewter, and finally to Pallet. Five rides in all, more than a day's travel, and more money than he would normally spend. But here was where Ash's companions proved their worth and devotion. Without hesitation, they gathered the money to fund his trip, and he didn't even try to turn them down. They knew each other better than that.

Within two hours he was on the bus, leaving behind his friends to meet again in the town he was heading to. Someday. Maybe. At this point Ash couldn't say for sure. Or speak much at all for that matter.

The entire trip was surreal, vivid and sharp in his mind. He could recall every detail, from buying his tickets to every second he sat in his seat waiting to arrive. He could remember nearly crying six separate times. And actually crying three. He could still feel Pikachu nuzzle him as hard as he could without hurting Ash as he cried. He could hear the thoughts of the other passengers as they watched him try to contain his sobs. He unwillingly memorized smell of the airplane cabin, crisp yet devoid of any real scent. And every shrub, rock, building, car, and person he passed both on the bus and the plain.

All the while, Ash held onto the two ideas in his mind. He kept them as far apart as he could, his willpower splitting at the seams. Walking home, stretch. Not curling up into a ball, tear. But not letting the two ideas in his head meet, that took his will down to the last strand. Unfortunately, with every mile he got closer to home, the two ideas managed to get closer together. Dangerously close to destroying what was left of Ash's resolve, his only true comfort came from Pikachu.

A ghost of a thought appeared in Cerulean City and again in Pewter City. Ash thought of going to see his old friends Misty and Brock, if not for support, then at least to delay the inevitable. Like most non-Pokémon ghosts, these thoughts vanished before Ash could even fully recognize them. He had to get home. He had to get home. He had to...

Getting off the bus in Pallet town, Ash and Pikachu started toward their destination. Without a word in exchange, they turned away from the direction of Ash's childhood home. No, even though he had constantly told himself he was going home, there was another place he went.

Ash stood in front of a stone pillar, rectangular in shape and less than five feet tall. All around him were other pillars, just the same as this one. But this is what he came to see. What he needed to see. At the base were fresh flowers and burned incense, both of whose scent lingered in the air still. Pikachu held onto Ash's ankle, looking at the stone. He couldn't read, aside from a few words here and there that Ash had repeatedly pointed out. But Pikachu didn't need to read in order to know what the stone was saying to him. And he wanted to hate the stone for it.

'Samuel Oak'.

There it was, written in stone. Undeniable proof. Ash held up his hands to look at the nothing in his palms. He could see the two ideas again in his mind's eye. They no longer pulled at each other, because Ash accepted what he had to do, the impossible. The square idea of Oak's absence and death. The triangular slot in his concept of the world, an unshakable constant. He placed one into the other and against all reason, they fit. Without resistance the square slid into place, becoming flush with the surface of rest of the idea. Oak's death became part of reality.

The idea dissolved, turning into the ash that Professor Oak now was.

Along with it broke Ash's last ray of strength. He fell and cried without resistance. Pikachu joining him again.

As if to fix an imbalance, correcting for the hyper aware nature of Ash's trip, after beginning to cry Ash could remember almost nothing. What followed could be best described as a dream state. Ash remembered people, locations, talking, but all of it was hollow as a lie. People had identities, but were like poor imitations of who they were supposed to be. The words were nonexistent, yet spoken. And the places were well known to Ash, but were off, like someone had shifted everything around in his room but he couldn't tell what had actually changed, just that it was wrong.

Only a few things stood out. In what order they had happened and how he came upon any of them he would never be able to tell. There was Brock, Misty, and Tracey all looking at him and speaking phantom words. There was Gary, sitting on a step around a corner and refusing to look at Ash, while a girl told Ash that he should leave. And he could recall sitting with his mom as they held each other and Pikachu, crying.

Time passed. Or at least Ash had to assume it had passed, not that he cared to think about it. Ash came down from his room, finding his mom and Pikachu in the kitchen. They hadn't been talking, but somehow they still became quiet when the noticed he had entered the room. They unintentionally stared at him.

"How are you Ash?" His mom asked. Ash didn't respond, only sat down at the table and began to absently pet Pikachu. She paused before asking, "Do you think you're ready to see Tracey today?" Ash looked up at her, a faint question in his eyes. "You don't remember, do you?" Ash gently shook his head no. "Tracey was here yesterday. He said there was something he had to show you. He asked if you could visit him as the lab."

The lab. His lab. A small pit opened in Ash's chest. His mom had continued on to say that it might be good for Ash to go. And so he was on his way, not that he wanted to be. Ash was a quick walker, but he deliberately took the better part of an hour getting there.

Walking up the path to the main entrance, Ash remembered the first day of his journey. It was his tenth birthday, which just happened to fall on the same day as the annual tradition where new trainers would set out on their own adventures. Had Ash been born one day later, he would have had to wait a whole other year to get his first Pokémon, since you could only start once you were ten and the specific date had been set aside like a holiday for the beginning of Pokémon journeys.

Ash's dad had set out on the same journey, from this same place when he was ten. According to Ash's mom, his dad had taken three days just to get to the next town, Viridian. Ash grew up wanting to be a Pokémon master, just like his dad had wanted to be.

Grew up? That struck Ash as almost funny. He was ten when he left, still a child. Now he was... What? He couldn't remember his own age. How long had it been since he met Pikachu? Looking back on all that had happened, and what had recently happened, it seemed like so long ago. Like two decades at least. But, that was impossible. Ash couldn't even be a teenager, let alone an adult.

He looked at Pikachu, waiting for Ash by the door. He didn't look that much older than when they met. Lost some weight and adopted a completely different attitude toward Ash, but not aged. He was still the same stubborn Pikachu who refused to get his own Pokeball. Ash still had that ball. Pikachu was almost never in it, but it still held the data that identified Pikachu as Ash's. He kept it for legal purposes of course. In order to travel between countries or have a Pokémon participate in official battles, that Pokémon had to be registered to you. But Pikachu would never leave, even without the PokeBall.

Pikachu would never leave him at all, right..? He was Ash's best friend. His truest companion. A part of Ash's very identity. His soul. Pikachu would never be not there. But Professor Oak had. Oak had been a constant Ash's entire life and now he was gone. And if he could go, you could argue that-

No. Ash refused to go down that road. Ever.

He stood in front of the entrance to the lab, not sure what to do. Back when he lived in town, Ash would just barge in all the time without an invitation. On the occasions that Ash returned home from his journey, he couldn't remember knocking even once. But now it seemed different. A foreign building erected in the same place and style as a beloved landmark. On top of that, Ash just didn't want to go in. Being in Pallet Town and remember Professor Oak all over the place was hard enough, but to actually be in his lab? In the man's home?

A moment later, the door opened. Behind it was Tracey, a former traveling companion of Ash's, who had specialized in sketching Pokémon. His normally cheery attitude about everything, even danger, had been replaced with one of sorrow that mirrored Ash's.

"Hi Ash. Thanks for coming." Tracey greeted. Ash nodded in response. Tracey seemed to have expected that, so he held open the door for Ash as he entered. "Take a seat on the couch. Would you like some tea?" Not waiting for a response, Tracey went to grab a tea tray from the kitchen while Ash worked his way to the familiar couch in the guest area of the lab.

It wasn't much, just a couple of couches facing each other with a coffee table between them. The room was large, but mostly empty save for the aforementioned furniture and Oak's natural clutter around the walls. Professor Oak had cared for the copious amounts of Pokémon of the trainers that worked with him, including Ash. This room was set aside mostly for when those trainers visited and wanted to spend time with their Pokémon, some of whom could be quite large.

Ash remembered the room fondly. He and Gary and the other kids from town often played in this very room before they could become trainers. The would talk about what Pokémon they would catch and where they would go. They would interact with all the Pokémon they could find, which usually involved trying to ride the larger ones. And they would barrage the Professor with questions while he worked until he sent them away, which didn't always work.

Once Ash sat down, Pikachu joined him on the couch and curled up on Ash's lap. Just before Tracey returned with the tea, Ash noticed a loose collection of boxes next to the coffee table. They appeared to to contain stacks of old books, labeled as journals and each with a number. That is, except for the one on top, which had no label and was the oldest one by far.

"Thanks for coming. It must be hard for you to be here," Tracey said, setting the tray of tea on the table between them. He poured a cup for Ash and handed it to him. That scent brought back even more memories. This was Professor Oak's favorite tea. Ash didn't even know the name of the kind of tea, just that it was his tea. It may have been cruel to give that to Ash, but Ash knew it was probably the only tea Tracey could find in the whole lab. Ash took a sip and listened to what Tracey had to say.

"I know... I know how painful this must be for you, but... Well I have something for you. Back when the Professor found out he wouldn't, well... He had me make arrangements, he wanted to be sure that the lab and all his work would go on. He needed to know Gary and his sister would be taken care of. That all his old friends knew how much he loved them." Tracey paused for a deep breath. Ash took another solum sip of the nostalgic tea. "He asked me to go through all his old documents and gather up all of his journals. It wasn't easy, but he insisted they be found and arranged in order, for you." Ash scrunched his eyebrows as if to ask why. "I'm not sure why. But it was really important to him. That's them there." Tracey reached over to the boxes of journals, picking up the oldest looking one and handed it to Ash. "He said to start with this one."

Ash accepted the book, putting down his tea so both hands would be free to examine the book. Pikachu jumped up to the back of the couch to get a better view. Inside were sketches of Pokémon, excellent ones, more lifelike than even Tracey's sketches. Or at least they had been, all of them were faded from the book's profound age. Not just from the normal weathering of paper, but from having been opened, shut, and the shifting of pages. It had worn out the drawings so only the darkest lines remained, the fine details lost. Ash had never seen a book so old that wasn't some first edition by some famous writer.

Turning the pages, Ash saw Pokémon after Pokémon. They were good, like a hand drawn Pokédex. As he flipped, Tracey continued, "He also wanted to apologize. He said he should have shared these sooner. He knew when it was the right time, but got scared and put it off. He was scared of how you would see, or look at him... Something like that. But that now you had to know, or never. He seemed so sad, but all he would say was that it was the best thing that happened to him."

Ash continued onto another faded drawing. All of them so far were vaguely familiar, but this one stood out. There were two Pokémon, seeming to lean against one another as they slept. One was clearly a Pikachu, Ash would know that anywhere. The other was about the same size but with different proportions. It had round feet and wide arms. From what Ash could tell, the head was a sideways teardrop with antennae, maybe, and what might have been black eyelids. He knew that Pokémon...

"PIika!" Pikachu shouted in surprise. Ash realized he was right! That was a Celebi. Next to it wasn't just a Pikachu, it was his Pikachu! A torrent of memories slammed into Ash. Back when he was traveling through Johto, Ash had met another trainer named Sammy. Sam had been dislocated through time when he was trying to save a Celebi, this Celebi, from being attacked by a hunter. He and Ash became quick friends when they had taken care of Celebi and taken it to a magical healing lake deep in the forest to return it to good health.

They saw some amazing things together in that forest. But it was almost ruined when a former member of team Rocket attacked, catching Celebi in a Dark Ball. Somehow that had made Celebi evil and he was commanded to begin destroying the forest. Only through their combined determination and the help of Suicune, a Pokémon personification of the northwind, did they manage to return Celebi to himself. But Celebi had lost all of it's life force in the struggle. Even the magic lake, purified by Suicune, wouldn't restore it. But Celebi was saved by a swarm of other Celebi, who had traveled through time and gathered there to save him. Afterwards, Celebi took Sam back to his own time, and Ash felt as though he lost a friend.

This, this was Sam's sketchbook. The one he dropped before coming to the future, was given back to him, and taken with him back into the past. No wonder the book was so old, it had made the trip from Sam's time to the present twice, and the long way!

But, why did Professor Oak have Sammy's sketchbook? Did he know Sam somehow? Even if he did, how would Sam have known that the Professor would know Ash? Ash flipped through the book in a frenzy, if his emotions since learning about Oak's death hadn't drained him so completely, he may have ripped the book. Page after page of Pokémon sketches. But nothing to indicate where Professor Oak had gotten it from Sam.

There was a shock, as powerful as a thunderbolt from Pikachu. What was Professor Oak's name? Not just Oak, but his full name. Ash couldn't remember, after all he had always been Professor Oak, or just the Professor. It had been that way since before Ash could remember. What did it say on his grave? No time to feel hurt about that now, Ash told himself. What was the name? Samuel Oak. Sam Oak. Sam!

Ash was in a daze. He couldn't believe his own thoughts.

"Pika! Pikachu!" Without Ash noticing, Pikachu had climbed down from the back of the couch and was trying his best to pick up the first of the other notebooks. Ash finally snapped to and grabbed it from him. Ignoring Tracey's stunned expression and nearly tore open the journal.

Ash began to read through blurred eyes:

"Dear Ash,"...


	2. April 25-May 8

Dear Ash,

It's Sammy. Long time, no see. You'll be happy to know that I'm back in my own time, more or less. I'm safe and so is Celebi. Celebi isn't with me, but I'm sure he would say hello. I suppose I should explain a little.

After Celebi and I left, I was back in the forest. I was so excited, I wanted to run back to the entrance of the forest to let Towa know I was okay. But Celebi insisted we go through the forest. It took us almost three days to get out, but it wasn't hard. Celebi was great company and I had plenty to eat. I was sad you weren't with us. And Brock and Misty, but mostly you and Pikachu. I wanted to stay, but I have my own journey to go on and Celebi had to stay in the forest, that's where he belongs after all. Still, it wasn't easy to part with him. So many goodbyes in just a few days was really hard.

After that I found a road that I followed to a nearby town. I checked a newspaper, and it had been almost two whole months since I had been caught up in the "voice of the forest". Two months! I was only in your time for a couple days, and it had only been a week since I got back. I guess, Celebi made a mistake. I'm just glad it wasn't longer.

I wrote a letter to my parents. I hope they weren't worried too much. I'm having my mail forwarded to where I am now. It may take a few days, but I don't mind. There are lots of new Pokémon around town for me to draw. But my sketchbook, the one that Towa gave back to me, is so old now. I don't think she looked at it much, but I guess time has a way of getting to everything. It was actually that sketchbook that inspired me to get this new journal. I thought that, if (?) had lived long enough to give me back my sketchbook, then maybe I might see you again someday. And I wanted to tell you all about the things that happened to me. Or I will. Time travel is confusing.

Anyway, I'm going to fill this journal with all kinds of things. About Pokémon and places and what I'm doing. I wonder who I'll be when I meet you again and give this to you. I hope that we can still be friends, even when I'm old and you're still young. I can't wait to tell you everything.

-Samuel Oak

April 25, 1959

Dear Ash,

I spent last night in the free hostel in town. I don't normally mind sleeping outside, in fact I prefer it. But it's nice to have a bed to sleep on once in awhile. You understand I'm sure.

There wasn't much room in there though. Only about ten beds for people and not much floor space for all the Pokémon. I've been in smaller, but given the size of the town, I thought the hostel would be bigger. Maybe it's because this town isn't really 'on the way' to anywhere. You don't have to pass through in order to get to any of the larger towns or cities. It is a place to eat and sleep, at least.

Hostels are also a great way to meet other trainers on their own journeys. Most of the ones here are quite a bit older than I am, I feel out of place and I don't know what to say that won't make me sound like a child. It doesn't help that I get super excited whenever I see they have a Pokémon with them that I've never seen before, and sometimes with ones I have seen. I nearly went out of my gourd when I saw a Wingull. A real Wingull! The girl with it said she was from the Hoenn region and that they're really common there. I've never been to Hoenn, it's on my list, so I've never seen a Wingull. I think I freaked her out because she wouldn't let me sketch it.

Later I let Charmeleon and Exeggcute out to get fresh air. I know Pokéballs are safe for them to live in for long periods of time, but mine are old and I still don't like the idea of these two being cooped up. We watched some of the other trainers battle for fun. Charmeleon was way into it, she's more of a spectator than anything. Exeggcute kept trying to wander off. Maybe I shouldn't have them both out at once, they can be a handful. I've already been around town, but Exeggcute was having a fit when I brought him inside for dinner. I had to promise him I would walk him to all the nearby shops before he would calm down and eat dinner.

After that, I managed to talk a trainer into letting me draw their Pokémon. Olivia, that's the trainer, and her Quagsire have been traveling together for years. Their destination is the Kalos region. I said it was a near impossible goal, but she's determined in spite of the danger. Not that Kalos is that dangerous, but just getting there is. Olivia wants to see the Laverre Nature Trail, a swampy area. She thinks Quagsire will be happy there and she can see where Pokéballs are made. Maybe she can get a discount by buying straight from the source.

It's lights out soon, so I need to wrap up. Journal Day 1, success!

-Samuel Oak

April 26, 1959

Dear Ash,

The 'shopping trip' went well. Better than I had expected. I didn't intend to buy anything, and thank goodness this time I didn't have to. Exeggcute, well, he just likes to look at things. Up close. With his faces. And sometimes his faces aren't all in the same place. I've taken him on tours this before, and he has broken a few things that I ended up paying for. I think I'm getting better at wrangling him though. No that shop owners appreciate when Exeggcute gets up close and personal with just about everything. Still, it was a successful day. Exeggcute was struggling to keep all his eyes open long before I managed to convince him to call it a day.

I hadn't realized it, but five of the trainers staying at the hostel were traveling together. They all left today and now the room feels empty. It reminded me of you and Brock and Misty. Having companions must cut down on the loneliness during long stretches between towns. I have my Pokémon yes, but they aren't always good for quality conversation if you know what I mean. I wouldn't mind traveling with other people at some point. But I guess that's not now.

Olivia and Quagsire are still here though, we all had dinner together. She told me about her dream, not just to go to the Laverre Nature Trail, but her actual goal. Olivia wants to have her own rice farm. To be connected to the earth and the water and to life all at the same time. I don't know how traveling to Kalos is going to make that dream come true, and when I said so she said that she doesn't need to have a farm now. It's a dream for the future. A rice farm is the only thing she wants and it can wait until after she's done with her other dreams. I don't know though, just getting your own farmland seems complicated and would take a while. Shouldn't she be starting now? Will delaying your dream make it any easier to achieve, or harder? Maybe if I had my own goals besides a list of places I want to visit, I would understand.

My mail should hopefully arrive the day after tomorrow. After I write back to my parents, I'll start my journey again. I need to go places and see Pokémon so I can tell you all about them!

-Samuel Oak

April 27, 1959

Dear Ash,

I can't believe it, it finally happened! I didn't think to ask when I got into town because I didn't think they would do it! I am so pumped! Sinnoh is opening its borders to people from the Kanto and Johto Regions! I get to see Sinnoh! Apparently, while I was in the future the peace talks have been going really well. There's still hostility and everyone says it won't last long, but I can't wait. Growing up, I never thought I would be able to see the Spear Pillar, or the great mountains, or any of it. But now it's just a year away. The actual date hasn't been set yet, but the plan is for trainers, merchants, tourists, and students to be able to enter the region next year. That gives me plenty of time to get there.

I really have to thank Olivia. I only found out about Sinnoh because she said she was planning to travel to the Great Marsh there after her trip to Laverre Nature Trail in Kalos. She's from Kanto, and she's old enough to remember when the last war started. She's pretty psyched too. I'll be pretty sad when she leaves tomorrow.

That isn't all that happened today. New trainers came into the hostel, two of them. Danny, after getting settled, asked if anyone wanted to battle. They hadn't seen anyone in weeks and he said his Pokémon were tense. Sarah, a trainer who arrived the day after I did, accepted. Charmeleon insisted we go and watch, I just can't say no to that face. It was Danny's Smeargle versus Sarah's Pineco. There was Rapid Spin and Pin Missiles and jumping and shouting from Charmeleon. In the end, Pineco won, probably because it was more well rested. But Charmeleon thought otherwise. After the match she darted over to Smeargle to give it a talking to. Danny was cool at first, but them seemed to think Charmeleon was calling them weak. I tried to reassure him but he didn't take it well.

And then Charmeleon managed to make it worse by running over to Sarah and Pineco and challenging them, without asking me. We ended up battling and it did not go well. Charmeleon kept getting distracted by turning to Smeargle and Danny and chattering like she was trying to explain how to do whatever it was she was doing. It was a mess. Beforehand, Charmeleon tried to say something to me and I think it was that she wasn't going to use any Fire type attacks, because she never did when I told her to. I think we would have done well if Charmeleon wasn't sabotaging us. But we didn't. Sarah was annoyed, Danny was confused, and I was embarrassed. The only ones who seemed satisfied were Charmeleon and Smeargle, I don't know what the point was.

That wasn't the only downside for the day. I tried asking to draw the Wingull again and she turned me down. This time she even shouted. I think I was too pushy. But it's just so rare! Here in Johto that is. Maybe if I'm nicer about asking tomorrow she'll agree?

It's been a very long day and I just want to sleep. But I can't because I can't stop thinking about going to Sinnoh. The first step, I guess would be to stop writing. So I'll write you more tomorrow Ash.

-Samuel Oak

April 28, 1959

Dear Ash,

My mail arrived today. I got five letters. One from Mom and Dad, one from just Mom, and just Dad, and one from each of my brothers. I guess Mom and Dad are fighting again. I know because of the separate letters. When I was at home, if they were fighting they would use my brothers and me like Delibirds and wouldn't talk directly to each other for weeks. Now that I'm away, they just don't write letters together. They don't say anything about it, this time, but it's there. That aside, everything seems fine and I don't think anyone noticed my absence of two months.

I tried again. I really shouldn't have, but I did. The Wingull trainer was not happy. This time she spoke to the guest manager for the hostel and I was told, firmly, to stop harassing her. But it's such a rarity, and I wouldn't be hurting it or anything. I would never hurt a Pokémon. I don't she why she won't let me. But I'll to stop asking. I have to.

Early this morning Olivia and Quagsire left. I feel guilty I wasn't fully awake to say goodbye. But I'm glad I got to say goodbye at all. Trainers you meet don't stick around too often or too long. Frankly, spending even a couple days with another trainer is rare for me. I only just met Olivia, but I'd like to think of her as a friend. Just like how I think of you as a friend, Ash. But would I write to her? It makes me wonder how I feel our friendship is so special even after such a short time. But I think it is. I think I will see you again. And Olivia too.

I'm going to make my way out of town too. I wrote back to everyone already and tomorrow I'm going shopping for supplies like food and toothpaste and stuff. I'll leave the morning after that. I don't like how early Olivia got up, but she was right that it's best to leave first thing in the morning. It makes the journey feel that much bigger. My destination right now is Olivine City. There, I'll get on a ship, which will take me to another region altogether. I've been saving for tickets, but I don't know how much they will cost. That kind of information isn't just floating around in places nowhere near the sea. I'll just have to be careful when I'm shopping tomorrow.

-Samuel Oak

April 29, 1959

Dear Ash,

I got all my shopping done. Food is always the most important thing to buy, but it takes up so much space in my pack. I'm not much of a cook, so I buy the pre-made stuff. I also had to consider Charmeleon and Exeggcute's diet, one likes meat and the other likes dirt. I won't bore you with my grocery list, but I will say I spent more than I wanted. I got other supplies too: sewing thread is a must, sunscreen, potions, a new pot, new underwear, and extra pencils.

Exeggcute was a bit of a brat. He often can be, when I don't let him wander around. He got tired of being in and around the hostel and tried to go off on his own adventure. When I scooped him up and said that he had to stay with me, he tried to jump away and cried and one of him actually bit me! This went on for some time, until I just had to sit down in the corner with him and play. He likes shell games, it's real simple and keeps all of him busy. Though I get tired of it pretty fast. You would too if you'd played a hundred times. Maybe I need to find something else to occupy his time...

I spent some time with Danny today too. He came from Kanto like I did. We both passed through Vermilion City on our way into Johto and he even met the same guy I did, one who was obsessed with trying to befriend as many Weedle as possible. He stands out, trust me. Danny has four Pokémon traveling with him, he says they all bonded over their goal of fighting as many different people and Pokémon as possible. He's making his way through the gyms in Johto, but he's only made it to three so far.

I started to think about my own goals. I don't actually know why I'm on my journey yet. I left home less than a year ago just to travel and be a trainer. It's just something you do, right? My dad did the same thing when he was my age and so did my mom. I didn't even think about the why, I just wanted to go like they did. I've enjoyed myself so far, I've climbed mountains and seen ancient buildings, and made new friends. Believe it or not, I didn't start out with my sketchbook, I saw someone else drawing trainers and I thought the Pokémon were more interesting. The next day I went and bought my own. It's something I enjoy, and I definitely want to see and draw as many different Pokémon as possible, but I wouldn't call it my goal. I have places I want to see and Pokémon I want to meet, but I don't have a purpose. Maybe that's the point of the journey, to find it's purpose. No, that sounds silly.

Anyway, I leave tomorrow morning. After breakfast, that is. Wish me luck!

-Samuel Oak

April 30, 1959

Dear Ash,

I am back on the road. Actually I'm in a clearing in the middle of a forest. I left just after breakfast, just like I said I would. It wasn't my fault that breakfast took place just before lunch. A wild Ursaring that had apparently been chasing one of the trainers from weeks ago, found its way to the hostel. A few of the trainers and Pokémon fought it back and knocked it out. At the time, it seemed like the only option was to fend it off together, but now it feels like they were ganging up on the thing. It seemed so sad the whole time, trying to run around everywhere. They really had to hurt it to get the Ursaring to stop, it was already in tears before it fainted. I hope someone can take care of it.

After that, us three walked off into the wild green yonder. Even though I have Pokéballs, I like to let Exeggcute and Charmeleon walk outside with me. It's good for them. Especially Exeggcute who gets frustrated when I leave him in there too long. He never gets bored of new places, even when it's another forest that looks pretty much the same as the last one.

We're camping out tonight. Charmeleon's very handy for camping, you know, a fire type. She cooks all her own food and sometimes mine, if I'm having something simple like burnt fish. She's also great for staying warm at night. No one is as comforting as a Charmeleon who doesn't know the meaning of personal space. I foresee a problem in the summer, but for now it's nice. If only I could get Exeggcute to stay put half as well.

Nothing much else happened today. More tomorrow.

-Samuel Oak

May 1, 1959

Dear Ash,

No new adventures today. Just more of the same from yesterday. Charmeleon talking up a stop, even though she knows I can't understand her. And Exeggcute going out of his way to try and get lost. One of his heads was trying to eat an acorn whole. Isn't that like canablism? Then again, he's a grass-type Pokémon and not a plant. But what's the real difference? Why are there Pokémon that look and act like animals but are somehow distinct from them? How do we define Pokémon? These are the things that run through your mind when you don't have human companions to talk to.

Tomorrow I'm starting to climb up a mountain to get to the next town. Maybe I'll have an adventure up there.

-Samuel Oak

May 4, 1959

Dear Ash,

Wow, I can't believe I forgot to write for three days. By the time I stopped for the day and ate my dinner, I was swamped. I fell asleep the minute I climbed into my sleeping bag. I really did forget until sometime the next day. But this way, I have a lot to tell you about.

I was trying to hike up the mountain, but for an entire day I couldn't get any higher. I probably should have bought a detailed map of the local terrain, or at least a hiker's trail guide, to get me to the next town. I don't want to get lost out here. What irony that would be, returning from the future only to get lost in the ordinary mountains. I do at least have a geographical map of this part of Johto. I know the actual direction to go, but I don't know where to find the right trails.

So I decided to climb. Not my best idea. I almost fell to my death three times, but I couldn't stop because I was already halfway up to the landing. Or, I thought it was a landing, but there was just more dirt and rock to climb. No way I was going to turn back then either. Nearly fell again, but after what felt like hours I made it to a good sized shelf that thankfully reached around to the of the mountain. My dad would say I had an adventure, I would say I made a stupid mistake and nearly died. And I still haven't made it down on this side yet, so that 'nearly' part isn't quite over.

However, my days are not all hard work and being lost. The mountain is filled with Pokémon. I've seen Pidgeotto, and Venomoth, even one Farfetch'd. Those all sort of breezed by me though, so I didn't have time to appreciate them.

Charmeleon and Exeggcute obviously spent most of their time in their Pokéballs, neither of them are suited to climbing, not that I am either. I'm a bit concerned about Charmeleon, she's less energetic than usual and the flame on her tail is, well, oddly shaped. Maybe I'm just seeing things, because I compared her flame to a sketch I have of her and it looks the same. But I swear that it's larger, but less bright at the same time.

It got me thinking, I've never seen a Charmander, Charmeleon, or Charizard out in the wild. Where do they live? What do they do? Do they live in groups or as loners? More importantly, where do they come from. I got mine from my dad, my Charmeleon's father is my dad's Charizard. He Loans him out for breeding, but whenever he's bread with another Charizard dad asks for at one of the babies to give to one of the local kids. Charmanders are sort of special to us. But how does a lizard like animal get to be so big and then catch fire!? Why aren't more animals on fire if so many Pokémon are? I want to look into it next time I'm in town.

-Samuel Oak

May 8, 1959

Dear Ash,

I know, it's been another couple of days. I feel terrible. My excuse is the same, this mountain is big. So big, I don't think I'm on the same one. My map may not have trails, but there are shapes for the mountains and surrounding lands. There are even a few of those lines that show how far above sea level it is. Looking at it, I realized I wondered way off course.

In spite of that, I did manage to get down to some more even ground. I could finally let Exeggcute and let him walk with me without fear of him rolling down a hill by accident. And Charmeleon is more energetic too. We had a feast to celebrate last night. As much of a feast as we could while rationing, at least. But I don't think they minded, it was still more food than we usually have at night.

There was a small herd of Girafarig today. I was able to sneak up on them and hide long enough to draw them. Their black heads are always watching and sniffing, I was sure they spotted me more than once. The heard wasn't that big, it only seemed to be about three families. Maybe they split up from a larger group to cover more ground? It's a lot of fun to watch them eat, because whenever the front head is chowing on branches, the rear head's mouth chatters like it's cold or something. The young ones rear heads also tend to bite at anything that passes, even their parents. Not once did I see the rear heads actually eat anything, so shouldn't they be very hungry? And when the young ones were playing, they would charge head first and whack each other, while at other times the rear heads would playfully bite at one another. I couldn't capture the scene at all in my drawing even though I did try.

Since I've wandered into a sort of open plain area, I'm having a hard time figuring out where I am exactly. I think I know what mountain I came from, and there are more mountains in the distance ahead of me, but there aren't good landmarks in the wide open space. For now I'm heading southwest, and I just hope that will get me at least close enough to find someone so I can ask for directions. How did I forget to buy a trail map? Maybe because I've never actually gotten lost before, so I didn't even think of it as a possibility. I won't be making that mistake again anytime soon.

I hope you read this one day Ash, because that means I made it back to civilization. I hope.

-Samuel Oak


	3. May 8-May 20

May 9, 1959

Dear Ash,

Hikers are weird. I met someone today who said he wasn't a trainer, but a hiker. Anyone can have Pokémon, I know that, but it seems unusual for someone to travel and not call themselves a trainer. I asked if he was a trainer too, but no, he just has Machop that likes to hike with him. They don't train, or battle, or anything like that. Just hiking.

I asked how he paid for food or got other things he might need. Mike, the hiker, turned it around on me and asked how I paid for those things. I get money from my parents, I get a travel allowance. But I stay in free or cheap hostels or sleep outside of town so I can spend all that money on food and other groceries. He apparently does odd jobs in town. Some people need all the help they can get and will pay in cash for even a few days of work. Maybe I should try to do that some time I'm in a town.

We decided to have lunch together, since had been a few days since either of us had seen another person. We each shared a little of our food, which gave us a little variety. He had a ton of jerky. Charmeleon and Machop looked like they were having a spirited conversation. I wish I could ask what it was about. I wonder if there's anyone out there who can really understand Pokémon.

Mike had a map! A trail map even. Thank goodness too, because I didn't know where I was going to go if there wasn't a town before the next mountain. He told me to head directly Southeast from here until I hit a lake, if I follow the shore to the South end I'll find a road to a town. I am back on course.

I am also very tired.

-Samuel Oak

May 10, 1959

Dear Ash,

I made it to the lake, I'm on the right course. I got to it before I even had lunch today. It makes me wish I had a water-type Pokémon with me, to take me straight across. But I can't just ask one of the Magikarp that keep jumping out to give me a lift. I know most Pokémon can understand us, but I don't understand how a fish would learn to interact with a human. I've also been told that just because a Pokémon can swim doesn't mean it can carry you across water. There's some special move that they have to learn. It has something to do with being able to stay far enough above the water so the person doesn't drown, but far enough under that the Pokémon can also breath. Which sounds to me like they're making it more complicated than it has to be. And that reasoning doesn't even work for a lot of water type Pokémon, who spend most of their time out of water.

While I was thinking of all of this on my walk, a new thought occurred to me. You and Brock and Misty all had Pokéballs, and more than two or three each. Times have changed for you. I knew that there were many things about your time that I can't understand, but I now realize there are things about MY time that you can't understand. Like how most trainers in my day just don't have Pokéballs. They're expensive. And I know you might not understand because we're the same age and I honestly don't know that much about history, even from the last century. There may be information that I take for granted that doesn't exist in your time. Weeks later and Celebi's time travel is still amazing me. So from now on I'm going to try to be more clear about what I'm talking about. If I think something might change in the years until you read this, I'll try to explain what the deal is. Deal?

I was terrified earlier. I let out Charmeleon and Exeggcute to play in the water a little. Once we continued the hike, Exeggcute did his thing of trying to wander off into the nearby trees. He was out of my sight for just a second and I heard one of his heads scream. I ran over and found a Raticate was trying to steal one of Exeggcute's heads! The rest were trying to get the Raticate to let go, but they weren't doing any good. Without thinking I ran in and rammed into the Raticate myself. I managed to pry Exeggcute's head from it, but not without getting scratched myself. Exeggcute gathered up behind me while I had to shout at the Raticate until it ran off. Exeggcute hasn't left my side since.

I hope he doesn't stay scared. Exeggcute is much more manageable this way, but he isn't himself. And himself is the Pokémon I bonded with, I don't want him to change. Charmeleon seems to feel as guilty as I do for not being there. We're all going to stick pretty close together for the next few days I think.

-Samuel Oak

May 11, 1959

Dear Ash,

I think I was really rude earlier. When I reached the road, I met an old fisherman. He was very nice and told me that I wasn't the first to come around the lake today. A few trainers had already left toward the next town. I was in such a rush to have new people to talk to that I forgot that HE was someone to talk to. I'm not sure I even took the time to say thank you. I guess it's true when they say that kids today have no manners.

I did catch up with the trainers though. Six of them! I don't often see groups that big, usually it's two to four people. But I did see a group of five in the last town, so I shouldn't be too surprised. With all of their Pokémon walking beside them, they looked like a huge crowd. There's Samantha and her Murkrow, Jason and his Smeargle, Justeene and Jake who both have Nidoran, Alexander with a Growlithe, and Wilma has a Skarmory. I'm having a real tough time with all the names. They all seem nice, but I spent most of the day talking to Jake and Justeene since they're closer to my age. We talked about how they were all going to Mahogany Town, which is supposed to be home to ninjas. I knew there were ninjas in Fuchsia City in Kanto, but I had no idea about all the way out here.

I found it strange that they each only traveled with one Pokémon. Given how many of them there are, I would guess that at least one would have multiple Pokémon. Jason told me it's because they may have to travel cross-region someday and don't want to take too long at the borders. I can understand that. It's one of the reasons I only travel with two Pokémon.

Speaking of, I wanted to explain about the Pokéball thing. It's not unusual to meet someone with Pokéballs, but it's more common for them to not. And those who do have them only have two or three at the most, unless they're rich. Pokéballs are expensive is the thing. From what I heard from my dad, the technology is old, maybe seventy years or so. But the prices are still sky high. And people still question the nature of how the Pokémon feel in the balls, and the wrongness of keeping them in there. I have the same thoughts, but the Pokéballs are convenient, most of the time.

I should tell you that my Pokéballs aren't the latest models. I'm from a good family, but I don't have that kind of money to throw around. No, when I was about six, I found a set of the oldest model Pokéballs I had ever seen in a shop. They didn't work anymore, but it still cost me a month's allowance to buy the four of them. Again, they were broken, but I was just so happy to have them. So happy, that when I started my own Pokémon journey with Charmander, now Charmeleon, I used valuable bag space for them. And a good thing I did. When I passed through Cherrygrove City after coming to Johto, I met a trainer going the other way named Kurt from Azalea Town. He was an amatuer tech head and told me that he figured out a way to use local apricorns to make electronics. When I showed him my antique Pokéballs, he went nuts. He said if I stayed in town for a few weeks and helped him get supplies, he could fix them for me. His price was that he could keep two of them for himself. I didn't want to lose them, but they were useless as they were. So he did and I got my very own Pokéballs. They don't look or act the same as when they were new, but they work.

I want to tell you more, but Samantha is saying that it's almost time for bed.

I will say that I'm still worried about Exeggcute. He stuck with me the whole day. He's still scared, he seems to be looking in every direction at once, not that that's hard for him. But when I caught up to the group, he never tried to play or get a closer look at anyone. Not even the other Pokémon. I can see that he's still wants to see everything, but too afraid to go anywhere without me. I tried to encourage him, but he just wouldn't. That Radicate did a real number on him. I don't know what to do. I wish you were here for me to talk to, Ash. You were so good at understanding Pokémon's feelings.

The group has let me walk and spend the night with them. We should reach Mahogany Town the day after tomorrow. So hopefully I'll have time for a sketch or two.

-Samuel Oak

May 12, 1959

Dear Ash,

Another long day of walking. We could have made it to Mahogany Town tonight but it would have been well after dark and the group likes to stop before sunset. It's a good habit, but I don't usually follow the same rule because Carmeleon is such a great torch.

I was trying to help Exeggcute get back to his normal self by suggesting he go to see the other Pokémon, but he wouldn't budge. He refused to leave my side the entire day. He's still so curious, but he just won't go. I was giving up when Samantha gave me some advice. She said he had been through a terrible experience and that he can't simply go back to the way he was. Not right away and maybe not ever. As his trainer, I need to teach him how to be confident and brave. But as Exeggcute's friend I have to be supportive, even if he never recovers. She suggested that I do the things I know Exeggcute likes to do with him, to make him feel safe in doing them again. Or that I try to train him for battles so that he can get stronger and do better to protect himself. I have to give this a lot of thought, but I think she's right.

Wilma and I spent some time together, too. She's an artist, more so than I am. She uses the feathers dropped by Skarmory to make sculptures. She can do this because Skarmory is a steel type and its wings and feathers are like metal. Wilma tells me that they aren't actually steel, but the materials are very similar. The big difference is that at temperatures where real steel would start melting, Skarmory's feathers would actually fall apart and burn. That means that even though we categorize Pokémon with types, it's important to remember that they aren't actually that element. It also means that Wilma can't just heat the feathers in order to sculpt them. If she heats them up, she has to be careful of the fine line between making them bendy and destroying them. Instead, she mostly pulls them apart to make wires, that she ties together to make forms. I wanted to see one but all she had were pictures. She never makes one on the road since carrying it would probably ruin it. She and Skarmory just collect the feathers until they get to a town and make the thing there. They also sell them, which I must admit is a handy way to make money.

While I was talking with Wilma, Alexander's Growlithe was kind enough to pose for a sketch. I think she liked the attention. After I finished and showed her the picture, she ran and jumped around me. Followed by her dragging every person and Pokémon over to us, one by one, to show them what I drew. I admit, I liked the attention too.

The entire group is heading for the gym in Mahogany Town to challenge the leader there for league tokens. I think I remember you saying at one point that you wanted to become a Pokémon master. Does that mean you are planning on taking on the Pokémon League? Does the league and gym system even still exist? I can't actually ask, so I'll just tell you what I know. Around fifteen years ago, someone decided to have a tournament to decide who the greatest Pokémon trainer in the region was. So they asked each gym to send their best trainer or the leader to participate. The event was a success. After that, every region wanted to have their own tournament. And then everyone wanted to compete, whether they were part of a gym or not. But they couldn't just accept everyone, there were too many trainers. And so they came up with this idea, trainers could qualify by traveling the region and winning tokens from gyms. Collect the right amount and you can take part in the league.

According to my Dad, up until that point gyms were more like dojos. They were a place a trainer went to study under a master about a certain type of Pokémon. With dojos for swordsmanship and martial arts however, outsiders could come to the dojo and challenge the master to single combat. If the challenger won, he or she could take the school's sign down, effectively shutting down the dojo. I think that's way too mean, but Dad told me that's just how it was. But gyms weren't like that, they just accepted students. Some would stay, but most just joined on their way through town while they were on their journey. And recently, the Pokémon League changed that. They got the gyms to agree to take challengers, not for the right to shut down the place, but for special tokens that proved they were strong enough to get into the tournament. Dad thinks the gym leaders go easy on challengers, or they wouldn't have so many competitors in the tournament each year.

Samantha and Jason and everyone are from a small town here in Johto. They're trying to get some much needed tourism for the town. The plan is to have all six of them go to the gyms and each collect the tokens. That way they have six chances to win in the Pokémon League and people will come to their hometown to see where the champions live. Or so the plan goes. It's certainly a solid plan, but I question how well it will actually work. But I'm not in a place to judge, I'm just traveling, with no real reason.

-Samuel Oak

May 15, 1959

Dear Ash,

Welcome to the Town of the Ninja! Where you won't see a single ninja, because they're stealthy and quick! Honestly I feel duped, we got here days ago and I haven't seen a even one person I would describe as being a ninja. Fuschia City had ninjas, and you could actually see them and talk to them. Maybe it's just a tourist thing, but I am disappointed. Justeen and Jake are happy though, they say the architecture has an old style fitting the era of ninjas. It's still a let down that I haven't seen one, and don't think I didn't try.

Just like the last town I was in, the first thing I did was have my mail forwarded to me. The first thing the others did was head straight for the Mahogany Gym. Wow, was Alexandra surprised when six challengers showed up at once. She's the master or leader of the gym, and she only takes one challenger a day. There's no easy way to give a Pokémon all their stamina back, even potions leave something to be desired, and she wants each match to be at her Pokémon's best. Alexander and Growlithe went first. Alexander vs. Alexandra, funny right? This is an ice type gym, so I thought Growlithe would have the advantage, but I was very wrong. Alexandra's, I'll just call her the gym leader so this doesn't get confusing, her Sneasel is the closest thing to a ninja I've seen. The arena was just a standard stone floor, but Sneasel used Ice Punch to create giant ice blocks to hide behind and then used its incredible speed to to strike Growlithe and hide again before Growlithe could even react. The battle was over in less than five minutes.

Charmeleon LOVED watching. Since the first challenge, she has practically dragged me back each day to watch the gym leader take on challengers. Each time, the gym leader uses a different strategy to win, and never has to use more than one Pokémon. Charmeleon always goes to talk to the victor, where she just goes on and on. Sneasel was more into sharing with Charmeleon than the gym leader's other Pokémon, but I'm not sure Charmeleon actually noticed. Then Charmeleon would drag me over to the loser of the battle and coach or encourage or give advice to them. Pryce, one of the understudies of the gym that has been helping the challengers prepare for their matches, suggested that Charmeleon and I fight the gym leader. Thing is, Charmeleon doesn't fight all that much. She does and likes to fight sometimes, but mostly she likes to watch.

While those guys train with Pryce and ready themselves for their next match with the gym leader, I have to make plans. I'm still heading for Olivine City and I want to leave as soon as possible. So I have to restock my supplies, buy a trail map this time, and decide my next destination, before my mail arrives. I'll be sad to leave Wilma and Jason and Samantha and all them behind, however they're challenging the gym leader one a day and haven't won one match yet. They'll be here a while.

-Samuel Oak

May 17, 1959

Dear Ash,

Shopping is done and my mail arrived earlier today. Three letters, Mom, Dad, and my older brother. They're all fine. Some Ratata got into the house, the first of the season. Mom has thrown herself into garden work, which I'm not sure if Dad likes or not. Anyway, I wrote back to everyone and a few others in town. It may be a couple weeks before I reach another town. My hand is cramping from all the writing, but I still want to tell you about yesterday.

Exeggcute has stuck by me still since coming to town. A few times I took him out for walks and took him shopping. He didn't knock one thing over, a first. But it's more sad than an achievement. So, when we were at the gym with the others, I decided to do some training with Exeggcute. Well, I had Charmeleon do it. She loves to talk battles and stuff and she was more than happy to give instructions and encouragement. Charmeleon misses the old Exeggcute the way I do, and I think she wants to make up for not being there to help when the Raticate attacked. Just think, all the Ratata that broke into my place back home, will one day become like that Raticate.

I watched Charmeleon and Exeggcute from the sideline, letting them figure it out in their Pokémon language. But Pryce, a student of the gym helping the others get ready for their matches, saw that and gave me a big lecture. He said that I was the trainer and that Exeggcute's confidence and battle ability was just as much my responsibility as it was his. Pryce practically ordered me to have a mock battle with Exeggcute against Charmeleon. Charmeleon agreed, but I had never used Exeggcute in battle before. And Exeggcute was terrified. It was a disaster. Although, Pryce and Charmeleon were supportive the whole time. I learned that not only does Exeggcute need confidence, but I need confidence in my ability as his trainer. We need to learn to work together. And I guess I just have to really try to understand what it means to be a trainer.

My next destination is Violet City. Almost the entire distance between here and there is dense forest. It will be very easy to get lost. There are small towns on the way, but I've heard that people tend to miss most of them on the way. That's why I have extra food this time. Going to Violet City isn't the most direct way of getting to Olivine City, but there are a few things that I definitely want to see before I leave Johto, and one of them is near Violet City.

Tomorrow I will be saying goodbye again. It's been nice to have people around me again. Jason says that my Pokémon are people too and that I should be happy to just be with them. But I don't feel that way. I want humans around too. Is there something wrong with that? Or with me? I guess I'll have a lot of time to think about it.

-Samuel Oak

May 18, 1959

Dear Ash,

I am back in the wild. I'm in a bit of a canyon right now, but I should make it to the forest tomorrow evening. Charmeleon started a small fire for us and Exeggcute trying to stay warm without getting burned. I never mentioned it, but it's been cold the past few days. I hadn't really notice because I was either fairly worm inside the hostel in town, or at the ice type gym, where it's always cold. Now that I'm sleeping outside again, I wish I bought extra socks. Lucky for me, Charmeleon is always warm. But it may be cold enough that she'll want in the sleeping bag, which can be a problem with whole tail flame. We'll work it out. Considering the time of year, I think this is the last chill of winter before the sweaty summer. And I don't have an ice or water type to keep me cool.

I had a hard time saying goodbye to Justeen, Jason, Samantha, Alexander, Jake, and Wilma. And their Pokémon. I've been with them about a week, but I feel like we got really close. Even though they are all training hard to compete against the gym leader, they still took the time to see me off. Wilma showed me what she had made so far out of Skarmory's feathers. I couldn't make it out, but she said it would eventually look an Aggron, a steel type Pokémon from the Hoenn region. I had never heard of it before, Wilma said it's like a bigger Rydon with metal plates on its head and back and that it eats pure iron found in mountains. That sounds far fetched, but Pokémon can do crazy things.

Anyway, I had to go. I wasn't a real member of their group, even if they treated me like one. They have their own dream and I have my own goals. I hope I get to meet them again someday. But I'm sure I'll see them on television during the Johto League Tournament. I had better plan on being in a town when that happens. Which means I need to look up when the next one is. And now I just remembered I wanted to look up stuff about Pokémon in the library! I was so distracted by everyone and the gym and the lack of ninjas that I forgot! I'll just have to wait until the next town I guess.

-Samuel Oak

May 19, 1959

Dear Ash,

Spending as much time as I do in the wilderness, you tend to see a lot of the same Pokémon over and over. Like Weedle and Zubat. They are literally everywhere. I think I saw more than twenty of each. And it only got dark a few hours ago. Then there are other times where seeing Pokémon will surprise you.

Today I saw something horrible, and for some reason I had to draw it after. The image is burned into my brain. And probably into Exeggcute's brains too. We found a pair of Ekans fighting over an Aipom. It was, strange. I've seen Pokémon that had passed away before, but they had always died of old age. And I knew snakes eat smaller animals. Yet, somehow, putting those two things together was just so alien. The Ekans were fighting, not like battling fighting, they were really trying to hurt each other. And the winner ate the Aipom. Swallowed it whole.

I never thought about it. I knew Pokémon in the wild ate, I knew some ate meat, and I knew that normal, non-Pokemon, snakes eat things like mice. But I never thought that Pokémon would eat other Pokémon. And the worst part of it all was, Exeggcute was shaking, with all of his eyes shut for dear life. He was scared out of his minds. And I realized another thing, the Raticate that tried to take one of Exeggcute's heads, was going to eat it. I feel so stupid, but honestly I never thought of the real reason why Raticate had attacked. Pokémon eat other Pokémon, not just normal plants and meat, but grass type Pokémon and Pokémon flesh. They really are like wild animals. And yet still, they aren't. I don't know how to feel about that.

Once it was all over, Charmeleon and I just held onto Exeggcute for a while. To let him know it was okay. That we weren't going to let anything happen to any of him. He's staying closer than ever, and I can't blame him. He closed all his eyes while I drew my picture of the two Ekans and the Aipom. Even Charmeleon had a hard time with it. Which is odd as well, Charmeleon eats meat. And her whole line is notorious for how mean they can be. If Ekans kills its food in the wild, then so would Carmeleon. So why does it bother her so much? I guess I'll have a lot of time to think about that before I can actually ask someone about it.

I've made the decision that Pryce was right, I need to be a real trainer. Exeggcute will never overcome his fear if I can't train him to be brave and strong. The same with Charmeleon. They are my Pokémon and my responsibility. So starting tomorrow, I'm going to start teaching them like the trainer I am. Even though I'm scared too. But I won't tell them that.

-Samuel Oak

May 20, 1959

Dear Ash,

Today didn't go well. Exeggcute was too afraid to even try mock battles with Charmeleon. Charmeleon herself was afraid too, as a fire type and a second stage Pokémon, she has the clear advantage. Even though she loves to talk about battles, I think that is, she didn't seem to want to traumatize Exeggcute any more. So instead of putting them against each other, I decided for Exeggcute to fight against a dummy. Charmeleon had the great idea to use some bunt logs, so they would fall apart when Exeggcute hit them. With no dodging and no fear of being hit back, Exeggcute agreed to try.

And it still somehow got worse. He's uncoordinated. I think he's so scared that the psychic bond between his heads is being disrupted. Or he's just too terrified to think straight. He fell over and ran in different directions. But he wasn't the only one who was a mess. Back when Pryce had me and Exeggcute fight Charmeleon, we spent most of the time having Exeggcute run and dodge and use Barrage a few times. Today I realized, I don't know any more of Exeggcute's attacks besides Barrage and Leech Seed. I don't even know my own Pokémon's moves! What am I doing as a trainer. I tried telling him to use a bunch of different grass and psychic moves, but either he doesn't know them or doesn't understand what I'm asking for because he's never heard of them. What am I going to do, Ash?

That was just the start of the day. After we got to walking, we saw another Ekans. Exeggcute couldn't help but scream, which got its attention. At least I know how to fight with Charmeleon, and we managed to scare the Ekans off. Exeggcute was not having any of it. In the most forceful act I've ever seen him take, he pushed me over and took out his Pokéball. Even working together, Exeggcute couldn't get it open, because my Pokéballs have that knob to shut them. But his intent was clear. He spent the rest of the day in there and would only stay out long enough to eat. I'm worried about him.

In lighter news, Charmeleon and I saw a Heracross digging into a tree. They're so much bigger than I thought they would be. I thought about how much it would have to eat, And that just lead me back to thinking that as a bug, it probably eats plants. Or grass type Pokémon. Good thing Exeggcute wasn't there. I hope I don't think like this forever. I don't want to be scared of Pokémon. I love Pokémon. I tried to enjoy watching the Heracross do its thing, but it wasn't as magical as it would have been a few days ago.

With all these thoughts of food, I got to thinking about my own. I ate fairly well in town, but while I'm on the road I always have lightweight junk that needs very little preparation. It's effective and cheap and that's why I always buy it. I think I should learn to cook. Real food sounds so good right now. I'll keep that in mind for the next time I buy food.

I still have high hopes for tomorrow. Things can always get better.

-Samuel Oak


	4. May 21-June 7

May 21, 1959

Dear Ash,

Today went better, I think. There were no Ekans, at least. I never thought I'd be happy to not see a Pokémon. Still, it doesn't mean that Exeggcute would stay out of his Pokéball. I managed to coax him out with food during meal time. I tried to do more training, too. I promised that Charmeleon would be on watch the whole time and no other Pokémon, person, or animal would get near us. He isn't the least bit confident with attacking. Or moving in general. Even against a couple of branches I stuck in the dirt. He did knock one over at least. I don't know if he was happy about it or just glad that I let him back into his Pokéball. It's a step in the right direction though.

Most of the day was just me and Charmeleon. She's been out of her Pokéball more often lately. Usually, they're both inside while I travel, unless they've been in for a long time. Maybe I'm lonely. Or maybe she's just acting like Exeggcute usually does. Charmeleon's stuck by my side, but she runs off now and then to look at something. I think I told you before that Charmeleon was the daughter of my Dad's Charizard. He got his when he was eight, I think. He didn't give me one of Charizard's babies until I was nine and a half. There's no set age for kids to get their first Pokémon that I know of. But I don't think I know anyone who had their own Pokémon, meaning not the family's, before seven. Again, I don't think there's a rule.

I raised Charmander from a baby. I was even there when she hatched from her egg. For the first few months, Dad and Mom would take care of her while I was still learning. Baby Pokémon can be so picky and needy. I guess that's why they're called 'babies'.

Charmeleon, though. We have been together for so long. It feels like my whole life, even though it's been less than two years. She's different from any Pokémon that I know. She's got such a personality on her. The way she talks to me, like I can understand her. And the strange thing is, that sometimes I think I can. Maybe not the words, but what she's trying to tell me. And other times I am completely lost. Like earlier, she had a twig in each claw hand and a branch in her teeth, and she's trying to talk. It's a gurgled mess because of the stick, but I don't understand anyway. She went on and on about, something. And I know she was trying to tell me, because she was looking at me and making sure that I was focused on her. While we were walking in the forest, mind you. She's just weird. Or maybe I'm weird for not understanding.

I want to know about the future. I want to know what your time is like, Ash. There are still trainers, but what else stays? And what goes away? What fades away, never to seen by new generations? I want to know what your childhood was like. And where. I wonder if Pokémon have changed? How many more have been discovered? You said there was Poké-Decks, but you never said what it really was, other than it was like my sketchbook. I guess I never really asked. I suppose I should have taken the time to ask about all these things. I was just having too much fun with you and Celebi. Then there were those poachers. I didn't really have time. Now I kind of regret that. I want to see, more of your world. I hope I get to share it with you someday.

-Samuel Oak

May 23, 1959

Dear Ash,

Another day, another training session. Each day it seems to take longer to get Exeggcute out to fight a few sticks. He isn't putting in much effort, either. I can't get him to even run quickly. I know he can book it, I've seen it. But he just won't. He's never going to get stronger at this rate. He doesn't want to get hurt by wild Pokémon and I bet he still wants to explore, so why isn't he trying harder?

As I was walking later, I got to thinking about battling. I've never done much battling. And I don't get into a lot of fights either. And that lead me to thinking about fighting type Pokémon. What does that really mean, fighting type? It's not a distinct element or distinct type of biology. It's kind of like normal type, which is to say that it's a Pokémon but doesn't fit into any other types. But fighting types are stronger by nature than normal types maybe? But all pokemon fight. I mean, most fighting types do look human like. But so does Jinx and Mr. Mime. What about Hitmonlee? Why doesn't he have a head? Where is his mouth? And I just realized, I've only ever heard of boy Hitmonlee. Aren't there girl ones? How can there be babies if there are no girls? I have so many questions!

At least I'm not thinking about what Pokémon eat what Pokémon. Speaking of, I lost some food today. It wasn't stolen and I didn't drop it somewhere or anything like that. It went bad. I had some berries I bought in town a couple days before I left and I apparently completely forgot after I got out of town. This is why I usually try to avoid things that spoil easily. And why I try to buy everything just before leaving. Because now, I've pretty much wasted my parent's money.

I reached the river though. Not a big one, in fact I only had to walk for about ten minutes to find a place to cross. Still had to get my feet wet, but nothing serious. The river is a good sign. According to my map, I should make it to a town the day after tomorrow if I cut through part of the forest. See, the town is right next to the river, but the river bends. If I were to follow the river, it would take me three days instead of the one and a half. That is, if I don't get lost. Please, not again...

-Samuel Oak

May 24, 1959

Dear Ash,

I'm trying, Ash. I really am. I spent an extra hour today with Exeggcute, trying to have him push over a small log. He just won't. I can't get him to use Barrage or any grass attacks. Maybe I'm just crazy, but he even seems to be running slower. If he can't at least try to run away quickly, then does he want be able to escape predators? I am trying to help and he won't put in anything! It's like he wants to stay in his Pokéball forever.

On the other hand, Charmeleon has been somewhat difficult to rangle. Every time I let her out of her Pokéball, she begins to wander around. She's constantly looking at stuff. Sort of like how Exeggcute used to, but less prone to getting into trouble. But I don't mean that Charmeleon's ever been the lazy type, she's always had too much energy. Usually, she's just running and jumping or acting out battle or chatting on and on. She doesn't go looking for anything though. She stays nearby and does her thing. Now she's running of in all kinds of directions. I actually had to put her in her own Pokéball because she wouldn't settle down.

I feel terrible about it. I let her and Exeggcute out for dinner and they were both sulking. I tried to apologized, but I don't think she accepted it. In fairness, I was sulking too. I had spent most of the day alone, which isn't that different than normal, but I felt even more lonely today. It was a very awkward dinner.

But I do want to share some thoughts I had. I was still thinking about fighting type Pokémon a lot of the day. I'm sure it's its own thing, separate from normal, because of the type advantages. I don't know all of the different advantages, but I do know that fighting type Pokémon are weak to psychic but strong against rock, normal, and ice. That last one I actually learned in Mahogany Town. The type match ups are different than normal type's. A rock type can handle a Tackle just fine, but not a Low Kick. Even though both moves are just one Pokémon hitting the other with a part of its body, with no added elements. So why are they different? Is there some special energy put into fighting type moves that normal type moves don't? And why is Tackle even a move to begin with? It's just running into something really hard on purpose. I can do that. So why is it something special that some Pokémon actually have to learn how to do? I have so many questions!

I should reach the river town tomorrow. Hopefully I can restock a bit and get some rest in a proper bed. But I won't be staying more than one night. It's too small for a huge stopover. I just need to stop in for a night and to get my bearings straight, and then I'll be on my way again.

-Samuel Oak

May 25, 1959

Dear Ash,

I'm in town at last! People, houses, shops, and pretty much nothing else. This is just a small town, but I was hoping to find more. There's not even a hostel. I'm sleeping outside again tonight. Really, this isn't new. When you've been on the road as long as I have, you're going to pass through lots of places with no hostels or inns or anything. But sometimes you can find a local who is willing to let you stay in a guest room. But not this time. Again, this isn't the first time, but I was really looking forward to a real bed tonight...

At least I was able to restock and I even had a complete dinner, with fish and rice and everything. No library though, I'll have to wait a while longer to figure out what the difference is between fighting and normal types. To be honest, after shopping and eating, there wasn't anything else for me to do. All the townsfolk are polite and nice, but they don't get a ton of outsiders and I don't think they mind that. No one seemed interested in talking and I'm kind of in the same boat. They don't seem all that interesting to me either. I've been wanting people to talk to since I left Mahogany Town, and yet now that I do, I'm ready to go I suddenly become a loner?

One interesting thing did happen today. Right after I got into town, I saw a trainer, a girl, about half my age, with a Sentret, battling a wild Weedle. Both the girl and her Pokémon were obviously new to battling. She gave nervous commands and the Sentret was almost too afraid to follow directions. I never thought of Weedle as a scary Pokémon, but watching these two, that Weedle might as well have been a Pinsir. I kind of got a chuckle out of it. Looking back though, that's probably what Exeggcute and I look like. We need work, and how.

-Samuel Oak

May 26, 1959

Dear Ash,

I feel awful, about today and all of this week. I didn't realized what I was doing. Or maybe I was ignoring what was happening. When I got up this morning, I tried to do some training with Exeggcute, like I have for days. I didn't even know how angry I was getting until a woman started to yell at me for how I was treating my Pokémon. I tried to tell her we were training and she became more angry. And then I realized, I was yelling at Exeggcute. I wasn't trying to be mean or hurt his feelings, but I was shouting commands and being scary. I can't even remember what I was yelling, but I was terrifying Exeggcute. I could see it in all six pairs of his eyes, Ash. I was the thing he wanted to hide from. Not just Ekans or Raticate, or any kind of predator, but me.

How do I deal with that? How can I come back from treating my Pokémon, my friend, that way? How can Exeggcute ever forgive me? Should he?

I started to cry, right there. The woman was nice enough to try and comfort me, she said I need to be more compassionate with my Pokémon. I thought I was, but it turns out I was becoming a monster. How long have I been like this? I don't know where it came from, but I don't like what I'm becoming. She said that being a trainer is about more than giving orders and getting strong. I knew that, I've always known that. I was trying to help Exeggcute overcome his fear. I was trying to help. I was trying to be a good trainer.

Exeggcute kept his distance and I can't blame him for that. I would do the same. No, I don't know that, but I still understand. Right now, I'm still in town. It isn't even noon yet. Exeggcute and Charmeleon are a few yards away. I can't even bring myself to look at them right now. Much less, ask them to continue journeying with me. Am I an awful person, Ash? Have you ever felt this way? No, you're one of the best trainers I've ever met. All your Pokémon seemed to love you. You probably never got angry at anyone who didn't deserve it.

I have to go. I know I do. But I'm afraid. More afraid of talking to them than anything else in my entire life. I just feel like the worst trainer ever.

May 26, Night

I did manage to start walking. And Exeggcute and Charmeleon even agreed to come with me still. Even though I said they didn't have to, they're staying with me. I don't deserve them as friends. I spent the entire day thinking back on how I've acted since I left home. Thinking about it now, there were a lot of times where I was mean to Charmeleon. Like when she got into a fight with a wild Geodude and I didn't give her dinner because that's how my parents had punished me. But we only eat twice a day, and not very much. She must have been starving by breakfast! And when Exeggcute wouldn't stop pushing over a book on display in a store, I separated that head from the rest for an hour. An hour! Do you know how traumatizing it would be to have a part of you taken away for an hour? It would feel like a lifetime. And even after all that, they're here, with me. For now. I just hope I can make it up to them somehow.

One good thing did manage to happen today. I took a break to think some more and a wild Pineco dropped right in front of me. I fell over in surprise and I thought it was going to attack me. Maybe it was going to, because I swear there was hate in its eyes. Then it stopped when it saw how scared I was. Or maybe it saw how bad I was feeling. It tried to help me up and sat with me for a while. It scraped some bark off a tree and gave it to me. I think it was either trying to apologize or to comfort me. It was scarily insistent that I take the bark. And I found myself talking to it, about what I had done and how I had treated Exeggcute. The Pineco was a good listener, it just sat and scratched me a few times. I think the scratching was a good thing, Pineco didn't look upset when it did it. Maybe that's just how Pineco are.

Eventually, I did have to say goodbye to Pineco. But I did properly thank it before I did. I peeled off some bark and gave it to Pineco. I'm not sure I did it right, though. It gave me a funny look. Maybe I wasn't supposed to give bark as a thank you. Or maybe the bark was too thin or flakey. The stuff Pineco gave me is much better quality. I still have that bark, by the way. I'm going to hold onto it, to remember my new friend by.

I still feel bad, but not as bad, I guess. I don't know if I should give my Pokémon space or if I should try to apologize. I'll decide in the morning. For now, I would like to sleep.

-Samuel Oak

May 27, 1959

Dear Ash,

I chose not to have training this morning. I don't know that I can ever again, after yesterday. After breakfast, I let Charmeleon and Exeggcute stay out of their Pokéballs for a while. More like forced them to stay out. Exeggcute spent the whole time right next to me and I'm not sure if he was asking to be put back in or was trying to be friendly. He didn't seem all that scared of me, but I can't trust my judgement on that anymore, can I?

Once I was walking, I thought a lot about what that woman said yesterday. What makes someone a good trainer? What makes someone a trainer to begin with? Anyone can own a Pokémon. Anyone can have a Pokéball or even just take care of a Pokémon or keep it as a pet. That hiker named Mike had a Machop, but he said he wasn't a trainer. Traveling doesn't make you a trainer, because plenty of people never leave a town, mostly those who are part of a gym. Maybe a trainer is someone who likes to battle. Except, I've met people who called themselves trainers who disliked fighting entirely. I really don't care for it myself, either. I want to know how to be a good trainer, and to do that I have to figure out what a trainer is. I guess.

This lead me to remembering how I met Exeggcute. I was staying in a small town outside Fuchsia City. I was waiting for mail from home for a few days and I heard rumors about how 'that darn Pokémon got into my house again!' When I asked around, it turned out there was a local menace of a Pokémon. He would find ways into people's houses and and go through all of their stuff, breaking some of it in the process. At first, no one was upset, because he seemed to just be having a good time and wouldn't resist when they shooed him out. But he just kept coming back. Going into each house, and having a grand old time. By the time I arrived, everyone was sick of him and would chase him out of their houses with brooms, if not their own Pokémon. And the shop owners were on constant alert. I thought everyone had gone a bit overboard, but Exeggcute had apparently been at it for a while and racked up quite the price tag in damages.

I was curious and I tried to seek out this crazy Exeggcute. I was told it could be found on the edge of town in the mornings. I camped out, and Charmander and I were woken up the next morning by a bunch of eggs smelling and nudging and jumping on us. I tried to chat and explain why the people were upset with him. Six faces can hold quite the range of emotions, I want to tell you. I said they wanted him to leave and he became sad. I took pity on him and I said I would spend the day taking him around town, but afterwards he wouldn't be able to come back. We went to a bunch of homes and some agreed to let us in as long as I took responsibility for him.

At the end of the day, I walked him back to the edge of town and told him to go. But he didn't. He all jumped around me like he was having a great time. I spent the night there, since he kept trying to follow me when turned back to town. When I set off in the morning, he still followed, although I think he was trying to be sneaky about it. Eventually I came out and asked if he wanted to come with us and he has been with Charmander/Charmeleon and me ever since.

I hope I get to see him as happy as that again. Someday soon. I think I can be that kind of trainer again, if I try. I hope, for Exeggcute and Charmeleon's sake.

-Samuel Oak

June 1, 1959

Dear Ash,

A bunch has happened over that last couple days. I'll start with the most exciting news, Exeggcute is training again! And I think he might actually be enjoying himself. At least a little. The thought came to me that I should put myself in Exeggcute's shoes, not really but you get it. Somehow, that gave me the idea to train with him. I set up some taller sticks for myself and started to attack them and shouting out attack names. You should have seen the look on Exeggcute and Charmeleon's faces. I asked them to join and they just stood there. I think Charmeleon even hit herself in her confusion just to make sure she wasn't crazy. The next day, I told Exeggcute he should try too and after some encouragement, he did.

Since then, we've all been doing it together, even Charmeleon. We do stretches, small laps, run through sticks we've set up, and then we fight them. Tomorrow, I'm going to see if they'll be okay with me trying to give commands. Maybe it's too soon, though. Still, I'm really excited. Exeggcute is still staying in his Pokéball all day, and Charmeleon is still distracted, but I think they're doing good. And you know what, so am I!

Why didn't I write you about this sooner? That's because of the other thing that happened, I made a friend. Megan attacked Charmeleon thinking she was wild. I told Megan Charmeleon don't live in this area. To which she asked 'where they were from then', and I had no answer. Megan did apologize, but I think Charmeleon took the savage pecking from Natu personally. Megan is heading for Ecruteak City, and for the past couple days, that means she's been going the same way I am. We'll reach a village tomorrow, then I'll be turning South and she'll be going farther West. She wants to see the towers and the geisha shows. I haven't been to Ecruteak City before and it sounds like fun. I wish I could go with her, except that I really do have a set time table. It's really disappointing since I like having her around.

She made fun of me at first for trying to train with my Pokémon, but she gave in this morning and she and Natu joined us. She did ask for a battle but I said no. I don't think any of us are ready for that right now. She did pose with Natu for a picture, even though I only asked Natu. She made dinner tonight and it was awful. I don't think she's ever cooked before, no matter what she says.

Natu made me think about flying types. Again, aren't they just normal types who can fly? Flying attacks can control the wind sometimes, sure, but they aren't called 'air type Pokémon'. Are they flying types just because they can fly? Wouldn't that be like calling water type Pokémon 'swimming type'? How they move is not what makes them a type, people. I asked Megan, she says I'm overthinking the whole thing. There must be a reason they did it that way, she tells me. Well, I want to know why. I cannot wait to get to a library. Or a school of some kind. Someone has to know the answers and I'm going to ask them.

Like I said, we're going to arrive in a village tomorrow. I don't think either of us will be staying more than one night. We both are just going there to resupply. I hope the villagers are friendlier than in the last town. Maybe this time there will be a real bed for me!

-Samuel Oak

June 2, 1959

Dear Ash,

This has to be one of the top three smallest villages I've ever been in. There are about ten family farms and that is it. The closest they have to a store is a building where they meet up and trade produce and meat. Not buy, trade. I don't know how things have changed by your time Ash, but these days there are small towns and then there are villages. There are a few differences, population, a government of some kind, shops, tourism, more jobs than just farmer. All of those examples are in towns, villages don't usually have any of those. I've seen villages before, not many because people seem to be spreading everywhere. I admit, most villages only have a few dozen families. But this village is tiny.

Like before, they don't get a ton of outsiders. Megan and I had to haggle quite a bit just to get the food we came here for. You know, for getting to our next destinations. I guess this is what you have to expect when traveling off of the main roads. At least the people here like to talk and share more. All of the kids wanted to hear stories from the 'outside world', as they called it. It was a good time. I tried to let Exeggcute out to look around, but he was only able to glance around before getting frightened by all the people and their Pokémon.

Something I never noticed in farming towns and villages is the Pokémon. The Miltank and Tauros I expected, but there are more Flaaffy than usual. Mareep should be easier to manage when you don't have another Pokémon to shepherd them with. Somehow they make do and have raised quite a few of their flock to Flaaffy. When I asked, Randolph said that it wasn't on purpose. They also have Spinarak and Ariados as labor Pokémon. I'd never heard of this myself, it seems they use the Spinarak to plant and manage the crops. And the Ariados keep away wild animals and Pokémon, and they help considerably when it comes time to harvest. The only problem being that they tend to scare the Mareep. Randolph has break up fights before they can actually happen all the time. The spats they don't get to in time are what lead to so many of the Mareep and Spinarak to evolving. They fight, want to get tough to fight more, and they evolve. It's a real hassle I guess, Randolph got really depressed just talking about it. Megan also pointed out that, even though Flaaffy are bigger, they have less overall wool, making them less useful. To which Randolph said, a Flaaffy's wool stores a charge better. But that doesn't help when they're trying to sell it by the skein, which is a roll of wool yarn. Then he got more depressed

Unfortunately, the friendliness of the villagers didn't go as far as to let a strange young boy stay in one of their homes. Especially if he is traveling with a strange young girl. I think 'indecent' was the word they used, but I don't know what they mean. We were just walking to the same place together, nothing more. Adults get funny ideas. But they did offer to let Megan stay inside, so maybe it's just strange boys they don't trust. I was ready to stay the night outside by myself, but Megan showed up out of the blue to camp out with me. She says she wanted to talk and be have fun before we parted. She was so nice, and then she decided to make dinner herself. I like having her here, but my stomach wishes she had stayed indoors.

Training didn't go as well this morning. We're still trying hard, but Exeggcute flinched whenever I told him how to attack. I gave up quickly, even though Megan said I should keep going. I just don't want to traumatize him any more. I will get to the point where Exeggcute and I can battle as a team, but I'm not going to push it like I did before. Maybe, if I do the attack with him, like how I was calling out attacks before Megan showed up, he might feel more comfortable. I'll try that the day after tomorrow. I'm okay with Megan seeing me train in a funny way, but not that funny. I have my pride, you know.

-Samuel Oak

June 6, 1959

Dear Ash,

Almost there. Violet City is right on the other side of this small mountain, according to my map. I'll be at the store before midday. I would already be there, but the day I left that village, something happened. Megan and I said our goodbyes to the villagers. And then to each other. It was really hard to see her go. We did exchange mailing addresses, so I can at least write to her. Anyway, I walked all that morning away from the village, only to find a Flaaffy in a glade. I don't know how, but it must have wandered off and then gotten lost in the woods. I couldn't believe it. I had to walk it all the way back to the village, and then walk back to the glade. I lost an entire day to help a fluff ball with its head in the clouds. I did the right thing though, and I don't regret it. The villagers were pretty grateful, too. They gave me a skein of Flaaffy wool! I don't have a lot of space to carry more stuff, but I couldn't say no, could I?

Over the past couple days, I've been trying to pay attention to how Pokémon interact in the wild. Not the predator and prey part, since that's still kind of disturbing. Pokémon do tons of things together it seems. Once I was looking for it, I noticed that I would almost never see Caterpie together in any kind of group. More often I would see them around Beedrill and Weedle. The Beedrill eat pollen and flowers from trees, I think. And they tend to cut off leafs in the process, which the Weedle eat on the ground below. The Caterpie climb the trees and eat what the Beedrill left behind. That, or I saw Caterpie feasting on some of the more large leafed plants that were close to the ground. I wonder why I only saw them up high when there were Beedrill?

Aipom seem to travel in groups and use the hand on their tails to swing from the branches. A few times I even saw them grab each other's tails with their tails, like a handshake, and grab the branches with their actual, front hands. But that was almost always the younger ones, I think the older ones are too big. The best part was when I saw the Aipom and Sentret wrestling, or maybe play battling, with their tails. 'I'm taller on my tail than you are' or 'I can pin you tail down with my tail', that sort of thing. It was so cute, I got my sketchbook out to draw it, but I dropped my bag, it made a loud thunk, and they all scattered. I guess I understand why they're scared, but I was disappointed.

Which brings me to Exeggcute. He's doing fine with the training, but I don't think he's gotten any more brave. I'm trying to see it all from his point of view. The world was such a fantastic place and then he suddenly found out that it was scary too. A part of him could have died and he couldn't do anything. I could barely save him myself. And what if I'm not there next time? I think he doesn't want to leave me because he's afraid he can't make it alone, even though I started to scare him. And with the Ekans, that was just rubbing salt into the wound, it showed him perfectly what would have happened if I hadn't heard his cry for help. To him, it's just safer to stay in his Pokéball forever. I don't think I could live like that. I don't think Exeggcute can either. I want to train him so he won't be scared, but maybe he thinks that if he trains and trains, I might let the Raticate thing happen again. Or what if the training doesn't help, and he gets hurt. I refuse to think of him getting more than just hurt. I just have to try. And I guess I also have to just be there for him. I've realized it isn't just his body that's fragile, but his heart is too. Maybe I have to wait, since that's something that can only be helped with time and support. Not by training.

It's been a long week. A long couple of weeks really. At least I know this time, I know that there's a bed waiting for me in Violet City.

-Samuel Oak

June 7, 1959

Dear Ash,

Violet City, home to birds, schools, Bellsprout, and beds. At last, I'm back in a hostel. Not a free one, but at least it's cheaper than an inn. I've sent for my mail, found out about the local tourist sites, and I've started making a list of things to buy to make it to my next destination. There are a set of ruins near here that I want to look at on my way to the next town. For now, there's plenty to do in the city.

The Sprout Tower is what I came to see. It's this ancient building, with a shaft made of a single piece of wood that runs up the whole thing at the center. The building is a hundred feet tall, and the shaft goes up the whole thing! I read that the shaft is constantly swaying and somehow that protects the building from earthquakes. The best part is, according to legend the tower's central shaft is made from a one hundred foot tall Bellsprout! But I want to know how it moves. I mean what's moving it? And if it's always swaying, how is it attached to the top of the tower? And shouldn't the constant motion wear down the shaft after so long? There are supposed to be monks who live there, or just go there every day I'm not sure. I plan to ask them all of my questions. Tomorrow.

I'm a bit nervous though. The tower is also haunted, or so I've read. I don't want to believe in ghosts, but there are ghost type Pokémon. Are they really ghosts though, or is that the best thing we could compare them to at the time? Either way, they scare the Krabby out of me. I am not going in there without a lamp in my hand and the sun in the sky. No Ghastly adventures for me, thank you.

Exeggcute came out for dinner, but didn't look around too long. On the opposite end, Charmeleon spent the better part of the day walking around with me. She was on point, looking at everything and everyone. More than once I had to apologize for her getting into someone's face. The worst part is, she didn't seem all that sorry about it, the troublemaker. That's Exeggcute's job. Charmeleon did manage to make a few friends though. Here at the hostel are a few trainers that are taking on the local gym. Charmeleon has been talking almost non-stop with a Chansey, a Magnemite, a couple of Sentrets, and one other Pokémon who I've never seen before. Something came up and I wasn't able to ask what it was or who it belonged to. Hopefully they'll still be around tomorrow.

I feel like I did so much more today, but it was all sort of the usual. I saw neat stuff at the shops, like a Hoothoot clock that swings its leg back and forth. And I tried some local dumplings. I took a look at the gym, which focuses on bird type Pokémon. I saw a build site, where it seems someone is going to set up a school for kids who want to have their own Pokémon journeys. I think that's a nice idea, there are things I was prepared for by my parents, but there are also a few things they forgot to mention before I left home. There's also a local theater company. One of their shows is in a few days, if I'm still here then I want to go.

Time to say goodnight. Big day tomorrow.

-Samuel Oak


	5. June 8-June 28

June 8, 1959

Dear Ash,

I have had the most packed day ever. I feel like it's been three days since I last went to bed and somehow I'm not at all tired. I want to start with that Pokemon I saw last night. I asked around and it belongs to a traveling musician named Frederick. Crazily, he and his Pokemon, Maractus, come from the Unova Region. That explains why I've never even heard of Maractus before. I mean, Unova right!? I can't wait to go there, it's going to be all new and exciting. Come to think of it, that might be confusing for you. I don't know what you learned in school, but we only learned a little about Unova. At some point they were part of the repeating wars between Johto and Kanto against Sinnoh, but they dropped out to rebuild and focus on internal matters. I think at least. I don't remember much from that class. Honestly I have a lot of things I should have asked Frederick, but I was too busy trying to sketch Maractus while asking other kinds of questions.

Maractus are cactus-like grass types, which is kind of obvious just from looking at him. He's green with moving bulbs on his head the size of his arms. And I couldn't see any feet until I asked him to show me. I think I embarrassed Maractus by looking. When Maractus moves, he makes this sound, like sand in a container. Frederick said it sounds like a musical instrument called maracas, which he thinks were created to imitate Maractus. And he plays the guitar with Maractus dancing, and sounding like maracas. They do little shows together to pay for their travels. Frederick wants to add a singer, but is looking for the right Pokemon. Maractus was very friendly with Charmeleon, even though they're grass and fire types. I bet it's because since Maractus is basically a cactus, he's used to dry heat.

Another thing I did today, actually much earlier in the day, was go to the Sprout Tower. I got to ask all kinds of questions and the monks only seemed a little annoyed. After, they invited me to sit and meditate with them. Almost all the monks had a Bellsprout partner whom they would wiggle and imitate. They said it brought them closer to the Pokemon and was good for the spirit. I thought they looked silly, but I've been attacking sticks for days, so I can't talk. Which gave me the idea to ask them for advice on Exeggcute's situation. Naturally, they suggested meditating with him. And so we did. I also shared what had happened and the monk, his Bellsprout, Exeggcute, and I all had good long chat. Exeggcute even got more relaxed after a while. It was suggested again, that we take it slow. But getting my feelings out there was a huge relief. And though I didn't understand it, Exeggcute shared a little. We're planning to go back tomorrow, maybe he'll share more then.

I went out to eat and when I got back, I was so full. I had three servings of steamed meat buns. All that food will go straight to my BUNS! That joke killed at the hostel tonight. I'm quite proud of it.

On the way back, I managed to slip into the library before it closed for the night. I actually had to look back in this journal to remember what it was that I wanted to look up. I asked the librarian if there was a book about what makes Pokemon different from other plants and animals, and he said there was but that it was checked out. I instead checked out a few books all about fighting type Pokemon. There were pictures of Pokemon I had never heard of. That happened a bunch today, I guess.

Unfortunately, the books I got mostly turned out to be training guides. I just expected the answers to what makes fighting types unique to be, I don't know, written somewhere. Like maybe someone else had asked the same question and had taken the time to really separate what it means for a move to be a fighting type move and not a normal type. Or maybe I just have the wrong books. All of these just say that 'fighting types are a diverse and proud class of Pokemon. And they have their own needs and traits that make them stand out from other Pokemon' but then it's all about diets and training and natures and the value of effort. The best answer I could gather to my question, was that fighting type moves harness some sort of fighting spirit or chi that other types of attacks don't. Maybe that energy that comes not just from the body, but from within a Pokemon's soul, is what makes it different than a normal type. But normal types can have fighting spirit too, so that's not really a clear cut answer.

I hope that other book comes back tomorrow, or I'll have to ask for books on flying type Pokemon. And I'll make sure they are more than just 'how to make your bird Pokemon fly' type books. Another big day tomorrow. I can't wait.

-Samuel Oak

June 9, 1959

Okay Ash, let me tell you about this book. It's by a man from Kalos, named Count Tajiri, and the book is called 'The Seventh Day: Rest and God's Last Gift to the World'. This thing makes my brain spin. It was written almost two hundred years ago, and in a different region, so the language used alone is confusing. I had to ask the librarian to help me understand half of it. Actually, he just ended up summarizing chunks of it because he'd read it himself. So, in Kalos, they have a belief in one god who created the world in six days. I think in Sinnoh, they have something similar but the god is more like a Pokemon. Anyway, according to the story, god makes the world, then the oceans, then the plants, then lizards and fish, then the birds and mammals, and lastly humans in his own image.

But what about Pokemon, you ask? Well, usually the story goes that god took a break the day after he created humans. But this Count Tajiri thought different. He believed that god spent that seventh day creating new kinds of life, apparently for the fun of it or something. And these new plants and animals became the Pokemon we know today.

It sounds a bit Farfetch'd to me. Maybe that's because the whole 'one true god' thing just isn't how we look at things in Kanto. But this is the only book that anyone in the library knows of that describes where Pokemon came from. Lots of time has gone into studying specific kinds of Pokemon, and how they relate and may have evolved from their plant and animal counterparts, but nothing about them as a whole. I mean, Pokemon all have special powers! They can evolve! Some are even more closely related to human made objects than anything else! Why is no one looking for answers!? I'll try reading more of this book, if I can. It seems to be the only one that actually asks the same question I am. Maybe I'll check out one of the books talking about Pokemon and their animal relations tomorrow.

In other news, I went back to the Sprout Tower and had a nice exercise and meditation session with the same monk from yesterday. Exeggcute and I also shared some more of our feelings. Training went better this morning too, by the way. The surprising thing was, I noticed that the monk, who never gave his own name, always called his Bellsprout 'Kevin'. Which I found funny, since Kevin is such a human name. I said that to the monk and he responded by saying that there are many Bellsprout in town and in the tower, so all the monks have their own names to distinguish their partners and friends. That made sense, but then he also said that Kevin was an individual, a person, just as unique from any other Bellsprout as I am from any human. He said 'I do not own Bellsprout. He is my friend. And all people and all friends should have names.' That stuck with me.

I've always called any Pokemon by their species. I've known Pokemon with nicknames, but I didn't really think about why. Now I want give Charmeleon and Exeggcute names. Because they aren't just MY Pokemon, they are thinking creatures and different than any other Charmeleon and Exeggcute. I'll give it some thought and ask them what they think of what I come up with.

Trivia time! I was chatting with the trainers at the hostel and they told me all kinds of things about their Pokemon. Did you know that Chansey lay eggs every day and then go around giving them to anyone who isn't feeling well. Not like 'this could be a baby' kind of eggs, but like a super chicken egg that can heal injuries and make you feel good. Or so I was told. Did you also know that Kadabra was once a misbehaving child who transformed in his sleep? No, that one's just a fairy tale parents tell their kids to get them to listen. It never worked for me or my brothers though. How about that there are giant Pokeballs in Unova that live in the wild and attack people. Frederick told me that one. Most of these sound fake, but I had a lot of fun sharing them with the people here.

My mail should arrive by tomorrow, I hope. But I still want to go back to Sprout Tower and the library. And I kind of want to go to that play the day after. So I'm in a hurry to go, but I guess I'm not in that big of a hurry. I hope I have as much fun tomorrow.

-Samuel Oak

June 10, 1959

Dear Ash,

Do you want to hear them? Today I gave Charmeleon and Exeggcute real names. I tried to call Charmeleon 'Blaizard'. She wasn't sold on it until I started teasing her with it. Then she bit me. The monk thought that was hilarious. I couldn't come up with anything myself, there's just no one word or name that can capture her personality. I shared all the things I liked about Charmeleon with the monk, about her caring nature and her love of battles, but just to watch and share, and how she reminds me of home. He came up with Hestia, which is the name of a goddess in some far off region. This goddess represents the home, peace, purity, and tamed fire. I think she likes that more than 'Blaizard'. And for Exeggcute, I suggested the name 'Benedict' as a joke, which the monk understood. You know, 'eggs benedict'? It's a kind of breakfast in Unova. But Exeggcute didn't understand, and actually really liked the name. All of his heads started jumping around me. It was the cutest thing, whenever I called him Benedict after that, all of his heads would jump at the same time with big smiles. Those are my Pokemon, my friends Hestia and Benedict.

Just as I thought, the mail is in. Mom and dad aren't fighting anymore, they sent a joint letter. I also have one from each of my older brothers, a rarity. Things are going well I think. One of my brothers has already returned home from his own Pokemon journey and he's become very involved with the community. The other brother is way out there, doing who knows what. He'd never tell me what he was actually up to back when we were at home either, even when I had dad's Charizard backing me up, so why should he now? But I still love them all.

Back to the library with that book from yesterday. I still could not make heads or Ninetails of it. I tried to explain what it was I was looking for, but no one could give me a really good answer. I don't think Pokemon are just new evolutions of their non-Pokemon look alikes. But I can't really prove it. So I got a couple of books on that very thing, just to find out. And because they were the only things left on the subject. There was this one thing they managed to find for me, it was an article about the emergence of Grimer and Muk. I don't know if you've heard of them, Ash, they're pretty rare. They look like piles of slime with eyes. They mostly live in the runoff of factories or where there's a ton of waste, like sewers. The article says that no one had ever documented either Grimer or Muk until about three centuries ago. At the time, they were like an urban legend, because there were so few. But the article has a chart showing how the number of sightings went up through the years and how the number of industrial buildings and sanitation issues increased at the same rate.

They believe that the Grimer are thriving in human waste. There was even a joke in there that the Grimer may have actually been born from the waste, since they can't find any evidence of where they did come from. Like I said, they treated it like a joke, but I think it makes sense. Pokemon are strange and are similar to a lot of things. What if Geodude do come from rocks? What if Koffing do come from smoggy air? Of course, this is the opposite of my idea that Pokemon DON'T come from plants and animals, but still.

I was reading the article at the hostel, and Frederick mentioned something similar from Unova. They have a Pokemon that's mostly found in the run down parts of cities, called Trubbish. Rather than looking like a pile of slime with eyes though, they look like a busted bag of trash, with eyes. I didn't want to believe him, but he insists it's true. Guess I'll just have to see for myself. The Trubbish are becoming a real nuisance he says, and some people have been trying to clean up trash from the streets hoping it will drive them away. I don't know if I feel bad that they're taking away something the Trubbish seem to like, or if I agree with driving them away without hurting them. I mean, Pidgey are a pest in my hometown and I can understand wanting to get rid of the troublemakers. Still, where do they come from? Maybe some other library will have the answers.

I was dragged away from my bed for dinner by some of the other hostel guests. We ate while our Pokemon socialized nearby. Benedict wouldn't leave my lap, but he turned a head occasionally to see what we were talking about. A trio of kids just started their own journeys. The rest of us taunted them about the hardships to come. I told them to not get used to having beds whenever they hit town. The ground is where they will live from now on. They became pouty about it too, I laughed and laughed.

With my own mail ready to send, I only have one more day in Violet City. Of course I'll do my shopping and go back to the Sprout Tower tomorrow. As luck would have it, I get to go see opening night at the theater too. One more day and I'm back in the wild. Two more nights and I'm back on the ground. Now I want to pout.

-Samuel Oak

June 11, 1959

Dear Ash,

Tonight's play was just so sad. It wasn't your traditional Kabuki Play either. The person sitting next to me explained that it was based on a story from the Hoenn region, and that they tell stories differently than we do. But I understand why it was made into a Kabuki, because one of the lead characters is the Puppet Pokemon Shuppet and Banette.

The story was quite long, and I can't do it justice on paige, but this is the basic story. A little girl, named Stacey, lives alone with her with her mother. The father left, the mother blames Stacey for it, and she believes her mother. With their house full of resentment, Shuppet begin to collect under and around it. This drives away Stacey's only friends, who know how Shuppet are drawn to hatred, despair, and so on. Stacey throws away a doll given to her by her former friend and a Shuppet possesses it, becoming a Banette. Banette haunts the house for many months. Eventually, Stacey prays to the star Jirachi, or something, it wasn't clear, for help. Then, she gets cornered by the Banette and finally sees it in the light as the doll she tossed away. She asks for forgiveness and promises to be kinder and take care of the doll. And she does, and Stacey also decides to forgive her mother for the pain she has caused her. In the end, Stacey and her mom are happy and Banette is dispelled, leaving the empty doll behind.

I liked it. It was different, and it didn't really fit with what I normally expect from a fairy tale or Kabuki play. But it was foreign after all.

Frederick couldn't stick around for the play. He and Maractus left while I was at the tower. He left a note at the desk saying he looked for me to say goodbye, but I had already gone. I'm really sorry that I missed him. I didn't know he was going today. If I did, I would have waited or at least said something before going out this morning. He didn't leave any kind of mailing information either, so I don't have any way to write him. I can't believe that we can store Pokemon inside of pocket sized balls, but have no way to write or call people who are on the road without knowing exactly where to write or call. We need to get our act together.

I did say goodbye to the monks and Bellsprout with Hestia and Benedict. After, I bought some local foods to eat for the next couple of days. I know, it takes up more room in my pack, but I'm tired of eating so much 'light' food on the road. I did get enough other foods that will last me a more than two weeks. If I don't die of food boredom first. There are towns where I'll be able to buy more food along the way, but I want to be prepared. Like with the map I got. These maps are really going to eat into my spending money, but I think it's safe to say I need them.

More trivia from the hostel! Each of Dordio's heads only have one of three emotions, joy, anger, or sadness. No other feelings. Sounds like a strange way to through life. Snorlax eat 400 pounds of food in one sitting. Or 1000 pounds according to someone else. Where would they even get that much food? One trainer said that there's no such thing as an extinct Pokemon, because he saw a Kabuto's footprint once in a cave. Kabuto was a little dome beetle like Pokemon from over ten thousand years ago, in case you didn't know that part. And lastly, Electabuzz will actually try to eat electricity from power plants, but they never get that far because there are red caution signs. These send Electabuzz into a rage and they end up wrecking everything before eating.

That's enough fun for today. Tomorrow, I begin anew!

-Samuel Oak

June 16, 1959

Dear Ash,

I lost control. I couldn't help it. I could have stopped and now look where I'm at. I've eaten all of the nice food I bought. I had enough that if I only ate one nice meal a day, it would've lasted a week and a half before it spoiled. I ate it all in three days. I am ashamed. But it was so good, too. Now all I have are my cheap, bland, but filling, travel food. I need a personal chef. Maybe I could teach Hestia how to cook. She comes with a free fire, which we always take advantage of. And she can use her claws for cutting everything up. The one problem is that she might eat it all before she's done cooking it. She only eats dishes with meat, but aside from that, Hestia is not a picky eater.

Tomorrow, I'll be at the Ruins of Alph. Which are just one set of ruins that are related to other ruins in far off regions. I read that there's strange writings all over the walls, that are easy to figure out how to read, but don't make all that much sense. But, the real reason I'm going so far out of my way to visit the Ruins of Alph is because of the Pokemon, of course. The ruins are empty, no Pokemon according almost everyone who has studied the writings. Except that they all also agree that at some point during their stay, they saw something flying around. A mysterious shape will appear, float around, and be gone in the blink of an eye. Naturally, people think it's a Pokemon. Or a ghost. No one's been able to get the shapes on film yet, but those who've gotten any kind of good look say that the things look like the symbols on the walls! And even that is a problem, because everyone disagrees on which symbol they were. The thing I read said it was probably bad lighting and too much time staring at the walls. Well, I'm going to see for myself. That's what a Pokemon journey is all about, right? Seeing wonderous places and Pokemon with your own eyes.

My training with Hestia and Benedict has continued. I still haven't started trying to give commands to Benedict, but he does stay out of his Pokeball long enough to watch me practice with Hestia. We're fighting bigger sticks and running further. It's funny that when I was at home, I couldn't do anything in the morning every day, except breakfast of course. I was all over the place with what I wanted to do. And when I started my journey, I would only eat every morning because I was hungry. Everything else I tried to do, I got bored with. Yet, this training with Hestia and Benedict, I've been doing for about two weeks. I feel more energized after and I feel more connected to my Pokemon friends. I like it, and I think it's helping. Benedict just might become an explorer once more.

I've said this before, but after you've been in a forest, or even a region, for a while you start to see the same Pokemon over and over again. Rattata, Sentret, Pidgey, Zubat, Caterpie, constantly. There are more wild Hoppip than I care to count, but I did have a good time with one special Hoppip. There was a huge cluster of them, way up in the sky that got blown apart by what I think was the wind, even though I didn't feel anything. They went in all different directions and one came right at me. I panicked and tried to catch it. Naturally, she slammed right into my face. Hestia was walking with me at the time, and she just laughed at me. The Hoppip got scared and hopped away. Since there wasn't any wind near the ground, she couldn't glide like they normally would and decided to hide behind a tree. I'm pretty sure Hestia scared her. I did manage to get her to come out and she saw that Hestia wasn't that scary.

I shared some food and Hoppip began to talk to us. And never stop wanted to stop. At first I think she was telling me about how she got separated from the rest of her group. After five minutes I realized she was talking about something completely different. Hestia's eyes were glazed over like even she didn't know what Hoppip was talking about anymore. This went on for as long as a Slowpoke's award acceptance speech. At some point, we decided to help her get back up into the sky, the only problem was there was no wind. We tried throwing Hoppip, running and throwing, and then I climbed a tree and threw her from there. None of it worked. Hestia then had a crazy idea, she grabbed her own tail and started waving her flame at us. Hoppip and I thought she might be threatening something for a moment, but no. Hestia demonstrated her idea by grabbing a leaf and letting go of it a foot or two over her tail flame. Instead of falling straight down, it floated for a couple seconds. I mean, it flipped over a bunch and then fell off to the side, but we got the idea. Hoppip was scared, but Hestia showed her that if she had the leaf high enough over the flame, the leaf wouldn't get burnt. In a clearing, I tossed Hoppip up as high as I could, and at the same time, Hestia used flamethrower at the ground. The heat created a current of air going upwards, which Hoppip rode up into the sky. It was one crazy plan, but it worked perfectly. I hope I get to see that Hoppip again one day. I hope I get to see all my friends again someday.

-Samuel Oak

June 18, 1959

Dear Ash,

I made it to the Alph Ruins, and I've spent yesterday and today looking around. Just like the article said, all of the symbols are super easy to figure out. They all look like Romanji letters, but with eyeballs. Some took a little time to guess what they were, but the rest were simple enough. The other thing the article said is also true, the writing makes no sense. Some places have a ton of 'letters' in a line that don't make any words. While other places will have real words, but what they say is basically meaningless. Still, I was there to see the mysterious Pokemon that looks like the writing. I haven't.

But I did find archeologists, a group of four of them, exploring the ruins. I think we gave each other heart attacks when we nearly ran into each other where two hallways met. Daniel offered to share some food back at their camp, which I was more than happy to agree to. He has a Cofagrigus! I had never even heard of it before. It's this big ghost type Pokemon, that sort of looks like big face with no body, a huge chin, and four hands. Daniel said it actually resembles a sarcophagus, which it something people used to be buried in after they died. I asked which came first, the Pokemon or the sarcophagus, he said he's been trying to figure that out himself. The others have Pokemon too, of course. Milo has a Wartortle, Jackie has a Misdreavus, and Lara has a pair of Magnemite. My hand hurts from trying to draw all of them.

Over our meal, and while I was sketching, they explained that they are researching the ruins. They seem to think that that the the random 'letters' are just decoration, while the odd phrases in different spots might have deeper meaning. They think, either the meaning of the words have changed and that is what makes them confusing, or that all the writings have to be put together before they can have any actual meaning. Or that they are old idioms, which is like a saying that has a meaning in certain situations, even though the words themselves don't? I didn't quite understand. It was fun to listen, though. They offered me a book on ruins, I really wanted to take it, but I can't afford to carry something that heavy without a good reason. I hope I don't regret that later.

Eventually, I got around to asking if they had seen the mysterious Pokemon. Jackie did, but it got away before the others could see it too. This one looked like the letter M. When I asked why they all looked like different letters, everyone shrugged. They have ideas, but no actual answer. I stayed with them all of today, partly to see what they were doing but mostly so I'd have more chances to see the Pokemon. That, and it was raining most of the day. Milo said that Wartortle predicts more rain tomorrow, but even so I have to get going.

-Samuel Oak

June 23, 1959

Dear Ash,

It just won't stop. It's been raining for six days. Not a downpour, just a sprinkling rain at times. It just keeps going though. I think all of the Wooper are using Rain Dance or something, because they are having a field day. A field week, actually. I've seen all kinds of things I wanted to draw or tell you about, but I didn't want to damage my books. In fact, right now I'm in a cave I finally found. And I couldn't be happier that I found it, I can finally dry my clothes. Oh, and I'm not the only one in here!

A bunch of the wild Pokemon from the area have found their way in here too. There are Hoppip, Mareep, Ekans, Zubat, Rattata, Hoothoot, and a Noctowl. It's a big cave. Most of them were pretty nervous of me, especially when I brought out Hestia to help me warm up and dry off. After a few minutes of me telling them not to be scared, and once Hestia set up a small fire, they eventually warmed up to us. Except for the dozens of Zubat, I think this is their cave and they're kind of upset about all of us being in here.

I can't get enough of watching them all interact. Rattata are trying to ride Mareep. Hoppip and Hoothoot are butting heads, I think they might be fighting over who can jump higher, but honestly I can't tell. The one Noctowl seems to be taunting the Zubat, it keeps hooting into the darkness. Hestia and all of the Ekans are getting along surprisingly well. I'm still nervous about them. But no one has attacked anyone yet. Needless to say, I haven't let out Benedict. When I'm done writing, I'll find a corner to let him out so he can at least eat. Away from all the other Pokemon. I don't think he's ready for that yet.

The most curious Zubat I've ever ever met has decided I am his own personal perch. He has been sitting on my head for over an hour at this point. I have an itch, but I'm afraid that if I go to scratch it, he'll fly away. But he's been good company so far. I've been trying to talk to him, and every once in a while he'll screech in response, but I don't know what that really means. Since I don't speak Pokemon, I usually have to guess what they're trying to say by watching how they move and act. This Zubat hasn't moved off my head, so I can't see him. When he shrieks, he will sometimes move his wings, I think, but I don't know if he means anything by that. He'll also flap and shift about when neither of us are saying anything. It's so difficult not being able to talk to someone. Why don't they speak human? They can understand us, can't they?

Remember those Wooper I mentioned before? They were everywhere. I didn't know this many Wooper even existed. Imagine the number of Pokemon you would see in a normal day of walking around outside of a town. Now replace them all with Wooper. They were playing around and up trees. They were bathing in puddles. I think I saw a pretend war even. There were two groups of them and they just ran at each other. Then they collided and tackled each other to the ground. Not the move Tackle, mind you, at least I don't think so. They knocked each other over, and wacked others with their tails, they intentionally splashed puddle water into each other's faces, and one even flopped down onto one another. I think they were having fun. I think Benedict and Hestia would have enjoyed it, but it was raining pretty hard at that point. I was more interested in finding a place to stop for the night anyway. Any other time I would have stayed, but getting dry was more important. That was last night, by the way. And no, I didn't find a proper shelter that night. I'm pretty sure I have a cold.

It has been a long couple of days. I'm going to go to sleep here pretty soon. That is, if the Pokemon will be quiet enough to let me. Who am I kidding? Even if they do get quiet, I will still be too excited by having all of them so close that I won't be able to sleep.

I want to wrap up by saying that I've lost track of where I am. I tried pulling out my map one the way here, but I didn't want it to get wet so I put it away, and now I'm in a cave, somewhere. I think if I can find a body of water or a distinct hill or something, I can get my bearings. At least I hope, because otherwise I'm lost. Again. And this time with a map. That's even more embarrassing. Come to think of it, all the rain has probably messed with the shape of rivers and lakes, so those might not be as helpful. At this rate, it might be a while before I get to Greenfield.

-Samuel Oak

June 26, 1959

Dear Ash,

I was right, I was sick. The rain stopped at least. That was yesterday. But I've been curled up trying to get warm for the past three days. Lucky for me, all of the Pokemon have been helping. They really came together for me. Hestia has been keeping a fire going, and lying next to me. Which occasionally gets a little too hot. The Mareep have been keeping me off the cold ground. And berries, water, and other food just seem to appear whenever I wake up. Probably from the other Pokemon. Honestly, it feels like being at home. A darker, more wet version of home.

Zubat is still perched on top of me. Hestia is fretting so much and running around. I appreciate it, but she needs to relax. She looks like she hasn't slept. The only reason I can even write this is because I had to order her to rest. She refused. So I asked her to take care of Benedict. I've been out of it and I don't know if he's eaten in the past few days. I really started to freak out until I remembered that I was told Pokemon don't have to eat every meal if they're in their Pokeball. I never really believed it, and I've always fed them every time I ate. Right now, I'm hoping it's true though. I hope Benedict is okay.

But now I'm getting lightheaded. I'm going to go back to sleep. Before mother dragon gets back.

-Samuel Oak

June 27, 1959

Dear Ash,

I have an idea of where I am. At least I've narrowed it down to two possible areas. Most of the space between the Ruins of Alph and Greenfield is forest, with only a few villages and about eight mountains. But, I know where I was last week and I know I didn't travel far enough to hit most of those. I just passed through a set of mountains, that fit the map in two places. Yes, I do know how to read a map, I know mountains don't all look alike. But I'm just not good at telling the difference. I narrowed it down, didn't I? I have a plan. I'll keep going the way I am, and tomorrow I should hit a village in the afternoon. Or not find anything. From the village, I can head NorthWest. If it's not there, I can just head West. Or, maybe I'll be lucky and find another hiker like last time I was lost.

I'm feeling much better, by the way. This morning I departed my cave home and thanked all of the Pokemon who took care of me. I can't believe how much they did to make sure I felt better. I've always thought Pokemon were kind and smart, but this just blew me away.

While I was thinking about that, I noticed something. Or rather, I realized something about something that I had noticed a while back. Hestia always spends her meals with Benedict. I thought it was nice, but not worth mentioning. And Hestia is constantly talking while they eat. I always assumed it was Hestia being her chatty self. But looking back, Hestia has been acting strange for weeks, more like Benedict. When I was thinking about how the wild Pokemon were taking care of me, I finally figured out what was going on. Hestia has been helping Benedict in her own way. She's been so curious and nosey so that she can share whatever she sees with Benedict. He gets to hear about all of the interesting things that have been going on, without the fear from being outside the Pokeball. It sounds like a great idea, but I can't help but see the sad look on Benedict's faces when Hestia is sharing. I just don't know what Benedict is feeling. I won't stop Hestia, but I hope she knows what she's doing.

On that same note, I think my knew Zubat friend is slowly growing on Benedict. He was frightened at first, but now Benedict is letting Zubat get close and look at him. Only as long as Hestia is right there to protect him, though. This Zubat is the most daring and in your face "hey what's that over there?" kind of Pokemon I've met since Benedict. I think they would have been great friends. But now, even I'm weary of Zubat getting too close. He is a Poison type after all, they're strong to Grass types. And bats eat fruits and berries. I know Exeggcute are closer to seeds, but it still makes me nervous. And if I'm nervous, then Benedict is probably terrified. So I've been staying very close by when Benedict is out of his PokeBall. Not that I would leave Benedict alone anyway.

If I counted the days I was sick right, I've lost about four days. And if I can't find my way soon, I'll lose even more time. You're probably wondering why I'm in such a hurry. I need to reach Olivine City in a certain timeframe. There are regular passenger ferries that leave for the Unova Region. Most of the ferries leave every few days, but the one I need to go on only leaves every other month. I want to get there in time to get onboard within a few days. If I take too long in other places, I could get to Olivine and have to wait two months before shipping out. So it's either plan everything around getting there just in time, or just give in to missing it and take extra long to get to the port and be on time for the next ferry. At this point, I'm honestly not sure what to do. I guess it depends on how fast I can get to Greenfield and how much time I'd be willing to miss at all the big stops before getting to Olivine City. I really can just miss the one in August on purpose, but I don't know if I want to wait until October. Not to mention that three weeks on a ship in October will be much colder than it would be in August.

Right now, I need sleep. I'm over my cold, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't take it easy. I'll let you know how tomorrow turns out.

-Samuel Oak

June 28, 1959

Dear Ash,

I no longer have any doubt that the core of the Sprout Tower was a one hundred foot tall Bellsprout. Please believe me when I tell you, this is the truth and I have seen it with my own eyes. There are fifteen foot tall Sudowoodo in this village. Several of them. Sudowoodo, from what I was told since I've never seen one before today, look like trees but are more like rocks. They hide in the forest, but the ancestors of these ones were found it seems.

And what's more, there are dozens of Bellsprout just under ten feet tall. I thought I was going to fall over trying to look one in the face, either from craning my neck or from sheer confusion. Without thinking, I let out Hestia and Benedict to see, she fell over and he was so surprised and in awe that all of his eyes looked at it at the same time! From the safety of my arms of course. Zubat flew in for a closer look and it tried to eat him! The Bellsprout's handler had to tell it to drop him. And all of that isn't even the crazy part.

There are several villages in this area and I guess they're pretty cut off from the rest of the world. They're mostly farms of course, but each village is a different kind of farm I think. Anyway, all the towns breed giant Bellsprout and Sudowoodo. Why? For a sport that probably only exists right here. It's called "Bring Sudowoodo Down". Believe it or Wynaut, they use the giant Pokemon for an inter-village sports tournament. Now bear with me, because I don't know if I got the details right. There are two teams, each with three giant Sudowoodo. Each of those is surrounded by a defensive team of people and giant Bellsprout. That's the defense. The offense is nothing short of a battalion of people and Bellsprout, whose mission it is to knock down the other team's three Sudowoodo. They do this by fighting, with no special Pokemon attacks, through their opponent's defenses and pushing and dragging down the Sudowoodo. Okay, so they can use Vine Whip, but I think there are special rules for that. First team to have all three of their Sudowoodo touch the ground with their "branches", loses. It is amazing and brutal and I could not take my eyes off of it.

I am so lucky to be here. There was a game today and all four of us watched it together. I got into town with enough time to see that the festivities had started, but well before the actual match. So I had the chance to learn about the rules and get a close look at the taller than life Pokemon. I don't even know if the home team or the away team won. But honestly, I don't care as much about that, as just the joy watching was enough. Naturally, Hestia got way into it, cheering, shouting directions, and she insisted on meeting just about every member of the losing team afterwards. Benedict managed to stay out of his Pokeball almost the entire time. I'm proud of him. And I'm glad he got to see it firsthand.

But, just like the last village I was in, there aren't any places for outsiders to stay. Even the team and fans from the visiting village are camped out. We're off in our own little area though. I spent some time at the post game celebration, but I think it's better for us, and Benedict, if we camp out on our own. But that hasn't stopped Hestia and Zubat from continuing the party. They have been jabbering and sharing for hours. Actually, I have no idea what time it is right now. They talked with Benedict all through dinner, then they took turns trying to knock each other over. You want to see a one sided match up, that was it. But I think they had fun.

I know where I am now. And I know how to get to Greenfield, I can reach it in less than a week. The stores, all two of them, were closed for the event. That means I'll have to shop tomorrow before I leave. I don't like shopping before I start walking. I like a fresh start when I set out, which is why I usually leave in the mornings. Not that I have a choice this time though. Really, I wasn't even sure I was going to stop in this village, other than to resupply and get better directions. I could never have imagined that I would have seen what I saw today. And that's the best part of a Pokemon journey, the unexpected. At least when it's not scary. Another best part is making new friends. And seeing wonderful places. And learning about Pokemon. I guess there's a lot of best things. I don't know why anyone even stops their journey. I don't think I ever will.

-Samuel Oak


	6. June 30-July 20

June 30, 1959

Dear Ash,

Training has gotten, interesting. Since Zubat has been following me, he's been joining us for our morning exercises. I even set up a set of Zubat sized sticks for him to knock over. Mostly though, he flutters around our heads while we try to do our own things. When Hestia is practicing Flamethrower, he'll hang back long enough for her to start and then fly at and around the cone of fire. Naturally, Hestia has become too nervous about burning him to even do her fire attacks. Benedict won't even try to practice his attacks without Hestia actually holding Zubat back anymore. He got too close once and spooked Benedict, causing one head to hurt itself and the rest to flee in terror. I had to search out each one and put them back together, and he refused to leave my arms except to be put back in his Pokéball. Ever since, Benedict hasn't gone near Zubat.

On the brighter side of training, Benedict is taking battle commands. He'll respond when I give him directions, and sometimes he'll even do the thing I was actually telling him to do. I think he messes up because he's nervous. He's also doing more attacks. Barrage most of the time, but I'm trying to get him to use Leech Seed and Psychic, which I think are moves he can learn. Another week or two and he might even be ready for mock battles. But since, so far, I've been doing all the running and attacking and the using moves with Benedict, I may have to actually fight Hestia with him. I wonder if she'll be nervous, or enjoy it?

Yesterday, not long after leaving the village, I found something. A hidden treasure, or that's what it was supposed to be. It was a wooden box, at the base of a tree, with rocks and dirt on top. I wouldn't have seen it if Zubat hadn't flown over to it, but only because it was off the path and not where I was looking. Inside were toys like a handmade doll, a set of Sudowoodo, Bellsprout, and people figures, there was a broken bug catching net, and even an old paper ball. It reminded me of home, when I would hide my stuff from my brothers, and then forget where I hid them. Before I 'hid' the box again, I did a quick sketch of Hestia, Zubat, Benedict, and myself and put it in the box. And I left a note so they would know I didn't take anything.

Then today, Zubat found something else. He just flew off in a random direction and I followed. I found him flying around this short but thick tree. I thought Zubat must be looking at something in the tree at first. But then I saw that, even though it looked just like a lot of the other trees, when the wind blew this one didn't sway. A Sudowoodo in disguise. I didn't know what to do. Should I grab it and yell "gotch'a" or try to trick it into revealing itself. As a little brother, I wanted to pretend I hadn't figured it out and just hang out next to it or pretend to nap. That way it would be crushed under the pressure of trying to stay hidden for hours. Or I could have taken Zubat and left it alone. Instead, I spoke to it. I told the Sudowoodo that I knew what it was, but that I wouldn't hurt it or try to capture it in any way. It didn't give up the ruse and I decided it just wanted to be left alone. So I did what I would have wanted me to do, I left. I am disappointed I couldn't make a new friend, but I'm not the only one who gets to make that choice.

With Zubat's help, Hestia has found quite a bit of berries lately. They add some much needed variety to our meals. Much more flavor than just my travel food. And there's always enough left to have snacks. Quality meals while on the road, what Blissey. I swear, if I ever settle down and find a cook, I will eat like this every day.

Hestia and I both like having Zubat around. Benedict is less pleased, as I said earlier. Thing is, I don't know what to do with Zubat. I don't know how long he plans on following us. We're already quite a ways away from where we found him. Can he get back? Does he even intend to? I like him, but I don't think I can take him with me. I know I can't bring him to Unova with me and I can't take him all the way to Olivine city only to leave him behind. He's better off just staying in this area. I'm afraid to say anything, though. I really do like him and I don't want to do anything to break his little heart. If I can't talk to him about it, does that make me a coward? Is it just another reason I'm not a good Pokémon trainer? I don't like this feeling.

I'll have to find the answers tomorrow. Or soon, I hope. For now, it's been a long day and I need to sleep. Goodnight, Ash.

-Samuel Oak

July 4, 1959

Dear Ash,

It's been a hectic few days, and you are not going to believe where I am. I'm not sleeping on the ground, that's for sure. And I'm not in a hostel either. I'm in the guest room of the Hale Mansion! I arrived in Greenfield yesterday, okay, and it is one of the most beautiful places I have seen in my life. I don't even know if I can call it a town, there's just beautiful houses surrounded by breathtaking hills. You really must visit this place someday. So I arrived yesterday, and I see this couple out for a walk. I asked them for directions to the hostel and where I could find the best sights. Turns out they were on a date, but Elanor insisted on taking me with them to their favorite spot. Fastred wasn't happy about me joining at first, but he came around.

On the way to the top of one of the many hills, I told them about my adventures as a trainer. Oddly, neither of them have a Pokémon companion. They don't dislike Pokémon, they've just never had one. Of all things, that's really hard to wrap my head around, a family without so much as a working Pokémon. Elanor did say that there's a Pokémon she wants to see from Kalos, called a Flabébé. It's a Fairy type, which is its own type in Kalos. Here we usually just count them as Normal types, according to Elanor. Flabébé is small and white and it looks like a fairy, but it also carries a flower around with it. I jokingly asked why she needed more flowers, but she got really intense. She said her father always loved flowers and was the hardest working gardener in Greenfield. He passed his love of flowers onto her and she could never get tired of them. I thought she was mad, but afterwards Fastred was way more friendly, so maybe I did something right? People can be as confusing as Pokémon.

The scenery from their special spot was magnificent. I sat and stared for what must have been hours. Eventually, I remembered that Hestia and Exeggcute might want a look, so I let them out. Then I realized that Zubat had just been sitting on my backpack, not doing anything the entire time. I wasn't the only one in awe, apparently. We had lunch and talked some more. Somehow, at some point that I can't seem to recall, Fastred invited me to stay at his place. And then I saw the mansion. I've been in some large houses before, since I'm from a well off family, but this mansion makes the rest of them look like they should be housing peasants. Lucky for me, Fastred's family was very welcoming to their surprise guest, and I got to have dinner with them.

One more great thing about being here is the library. It's mostly historical or classical stuff, but they're all first editions. I asked if they had anything about where Pokémon came from or on different types, which they apparently don't have much of. They did have this one book though, an art book where someone used stories and old accounts of what some Pokémon looked like to paint them. They were mostly based on Johto legends, so I was only sort of familiar with them, but I could still pick out what they were supposed to be. I was having great fun until I came to this one page. It was Celebi. His body wasn't the right shape and he was the wrong shade of green, but it was him. I wasn't sure if I should start crying for joy or sadness, so I just started crying. I think I made the Hales nervous. I recovered though, and I thanked them for bringing back that memory so vividly. I instantly wanted to tell you about it, but this bed put me to sleep before I could brush my teeth last night.

My Pokémon and I spent the day sightseeing, mostly with Elanor. She was right, no matter how many fields I see, they do not get old. Each is unique and wonderful in their own way. I was afraid that all the stories I had heard about Greenfield were blown out of proportion, but now I think they weren't blown out enough. Am I dragging on too much about how great this place looks? Fastred joined us in the evening and we stayed out all night. I don't know if I can leave this place. I know I have to, but I just don't want to. I have to leave the day after tomorrow. Unless I can find a good excuse not to.

Okay, enough about Greenfield. On the way here, something pretty great happened. Scary and violent, but still great. A wild Drowzee came running at us out of the grass. It just started attacking for no reason. I was too confused to do anything, but Zubat didn't freeze. He slammed into the Drowzee, stopping it in its tracks. Zubat had to shriek at me while fighting off the Drowzee, or maybe he was just shrieking, so that I would pay attention. Right then, I started giving Zubat commands, to dodge and strike and fly up and down. Lucky for us, I remembered some things Zubat had done during training, and told him which attacks to use. Together, we battled that Drowzee until it ran away. Honestly, Zubat probably could have done it himself, but I think I helped. The only problem is, I wish I knew why Drowzee attacked. And I wish I knew if it was okay. I thought about chasing after it, once Zubat and I had calmed down for a second, but I was afraid that might scare it. I hope we didn't hurt that Drowzee, even though it did attack us first.

I can't resist this bed anymore. And I have to calm down Hestia, Benedict, and Zubat so they can sleep too. I've had to keep a close eye on them to make sure they don't make a mess of the room. Benedict's been really good here. Much more free roaming. At least in the bedroom and some out on the hills. I managed to draw him enjoying the town just feels safe. In case you didn't notice, I really like Greenfield. I'll take you here someday, Ash, I promise.

-Samuel Oak

July 7, 1959

Dear Ash,

Benedict successfully took down three logs today. That's right, logs. Not sticks. There were ten logs total, but I still think it's good. I figured the upgrade was a good step forward. Intimidating, I'll admit, but they're better for practice and confidence. He is getting more brave, I decided to have a battle with Hestia against Zubat, and Benedict watched the whole thing. Hestia and I won without any real challenge, which isn't so surprising. Tomorrow I think I'll do it the other way around. If I keep doing it, maybe Benedict will even want to try it himself.

Yesterday, I'm walking along with Zubat and Hestia, minding my own business, when I see these trees. From afar they looked red and black, and then red with black spots when I got closer. It wasn't until I could practically touch them that I put together what I was seeing. Ledyba, Ledyba everywhere. Even more than I saw in Greenfield, they used them for pollinating the flowers. Zubat somehow had the idea that shrieking would be a good idea and startled them. Suddenly, this very real swarm of Pokémon surrounded us. My first instinct was to panic. But that wasn't necessary, because they weren't attacking. Sure, dozens of them landed on me and pushed me to the ground, but they weren't trying to be aggressive. Aggressively friendly, maybe. I think they were mostly curious. Once I managed to get them off me, I could see in their eyes how happy they were. They all started talking at once, and you know I can't speak Pokémon. Luckily, Hestia and Zubat can. And those two know how to talk to me, mostly. The Ledyba wanted to play. Which I was happy to do. I spent hours running and chasing the Ledyba and trying to get them to sit still long enough for me to draw them. Problem was, when I had to say goodbye, they didn't quite get the message. They followed me until nightfall. It's awkward trying to walk when Ledyba are repeatedly landing on and taking off from you, like you're some kind of airport. I almost wish they had stuck around longer, but I just know they would have all wanted to try my food. I don't have enough to share with a hundred wild Pokémon!

I'm about halfway to Goldenrod City right now. I've actually been there before, but it's been a few years. My parents had some kind of business there and they decided to make a family trip out of it. We did all of the tourist stuff, like go to shows and the Game Corner. I don't remember it all that well, so I'm looking forward to seeing it again. I wonder how much has changed.

As you can probably tell, it's been a fairly dull couple of days. Except for the whole Ledyba thing I mentioned and saying goodbye to Elanor and Fastred. Elanor gave me a bouquet, which was touching. Then after carrying it for a few hours, I realized that it might not have been the best gift. I decided to save one of the flowers by pressing it in the last page of this journal, you should have seen it if I made sure to keep it there.

-Samuel Oak

July 8, 1959

I don't know how it happened, Ash. How did I let this happen? Benedict is freaked out and he won't come out of his Pokéball. He attacked us and he screamed and he cried and I couldn't do anything but put him back in. The first words I can say for sure that I understood from a Pokémon, were six voices begging me to get away. I don't know what to do with that memory. I can't stop hearing it.

This morning, we had our training session. I was having my battle with Zubat against Hestia while Benedict watched. I thought he was watching. After, I noticed he wasn't there. I panicked and we spread out looking for him. Hestia found him, huddled together under a tree, in a pile of leaves. I got over there just in time to see Benedict use Barrage against Hestia. I was shocked and scared. How could he? Then I tried to talk to him and he did the same to me. I couldn't see clearly, but when I got close, I thought I saw all of him crying. I tried again, and that's when it happened, Benedict cried out so loud the it pushed us away. It hurt, not just my ears, but my chest and my limbs. They all became numb and sore at the same time. I didn't try to approach him again, but I did try to talk to him from afar. He just kept shouting or Barraging me. I could only do one thing, I returned him to his Pokéball.

We were so confused. And scared. I couldn't move and I just stared at Benedict's gray Pokéball. I couldn't understand why he suddenly became so terrified that he would attack me like that. He's never been violent. I've been pushing him to get stronger, but not like that. I don't think. Did I do that? Did I make him like this? Does he think he needs to strike out in order to say he's upset or scared?

And then, Zubat I think found out what it was. The thing set Benedict off. Zubat brought over a little ball, no bigger than Benedict's smallest part. It was wet and gross and it smelled like puke, or maybe that was me trying not to throw up. It was dark red and grey and purple. Rattata purple. And, there were bones. It was like something tore apart a Rattata, threw away the meat, and then made everything else into a tight little oval. I was horrified, trying to figure out where it came from. And when I looked Zubat in the face, and saw Hestia begin to cry, I realized that Benedict saw it too. He saw something dead. Not just dead, but killed. This Rattata, a Pokémon had been killed, torn apart, and put back together. And Benedict knew it. Benedict had seen it.

I cried. Hestia and I cried, for what felt like hours. And I held Benedict's Pokéball. Trying to tell him it was okay, he was safe, that I would protect him. I tried, I wanted to hold him, but I didn't dare take him out of his Pokéball. He wouldn't be able to handle it. It would be too much, right? He would want to stay inside, where nothing could hurt him. Or maybe I was scared of facing him. Of admitting I hadn't been there. Again. Or maybe I just didn't know how to deal with it. I still don't. What do I do? What do I do?

July 9, 1959

Dear Ash,

We didn't train today. Zubat tried to encourage us to, but Hestia and I weren't ready. Benedict certainly wouldn't have been able to. I made him get out for breakfast and dinner. He was shaking. I tried to be calm him and make him feel safe, but he did that shouting thing again. It must be an attack that I just haven't heard of. But he wouldn't let us close. He also wouldn't eat. That was this morning. At dinner I tried again. But this time, Hestia was the one to talk to him. I was so relieved when Benedict let Hestia hold him. He started to cry. Eventually, I felt it was safe for me to join them. We just sat and tried to reassure each other that we were going to be okay. But even after that, Benedict only ate a bite or two per head. I won't force him to eat, but I am worried.

Zubat's been a real trooper. He's been trying to cheer me and Hestia up. He found me berries. He landed on Hestia's horn and started yelling things, I think he was pretending to command her. Hestia tried to swat him away, but I saw her smile a bit. Zubat fluttered and flew around a lot and wore himself out. Before the sun even went down, he was so tired that he fell asleep in my arms. Not even upside down the way he normally sleeps, just laying on his back. I tried to walk slow and steady for him, but it probably wasn't the most peaceful sleep.

I didn't get far yesterday, and today I wasn't in much of a hurry either. I'll make it to Goldenrod City the day after tomorrow. I don't know why I keep telling you all of this. You're reading it, in two pages you'll know where I am. Do you really want me to tell you everything, every step of the way? Do you really care about what's happening to me, happened to me who knows how many years ago for you? I don't even know if it's you who's reading this, Ash. I'm sorry. I'm starting to wonder what I'm doing out here. Maybe I should just go home.

-Samuel Oak

July 10, 1959

Dear Ash,

Today was a very different kind of day. For Benedict especially. Hestia, Zubat, and I half-heartedly did our morning training. Benedict barely ate again. And then we were on our way. Zubat flew around here and there, but he mostly stayed perched on my bag. I couldn't see him, but I knew he was there, which was reassuring. I found myself talking to him and sharing with him how I've been feeling. Kind of like I have been with you, Ash, but different. I have to think about what I tell you because I'm writing it. With Zubat, everything just sort of falls out of my mouth. It was refreshing. It reminds me of when Benedict and I spoke with the monk in Sprout Tower. I should just talk to my Pokémon more. Or find a human companion.

The reason today was special for Benedict, is that he too was able to talk to people. Namely, other Exeggcute. Sometime after noon, Zubat leapt off my bag and went straight for a large tree. Before I could catch up, he was blasted away from it by what I correctly guessed to be a Barrage. When I looked into to hollow of the tree, there were at least three separate Exeggcute. I say at least three, because when each of them have six heads in a small space, it's hard to keep track of how many there are. I didn't even try to go near them, but Zubat did again. Several times. By the fifth or sixth time, he finally decided to speak from a distance. This time he was squeaking, the way Zubats do, much faster than usual. Then, he all but dragged Benedict's Pokéball out of my pocket.

I was nervous about letting him out. Zubat wasn't. At least, he was very confident it was the right thing to do. I tried to let Benedict know what was going to happen before releasing him, making sure he would know that he was safe and that we were there with him. I don't actually know if Pokémon can hear you when you talk to their Pokéballs, but it made me feel better anyways. From the safety of my arms, I let Benedict see the other Exeggcute. They were happy to see him. He was torn, I guess. At least one head was relieved and relaxed, one still refused to look, a few were somewhere in between, and another was just tired.

After some encouragement from me, the wild Exeggcute came out of the tree and stood in front of me, while I sat down with Benedict on my lap. They hooted and cheered and chased Zubat a little. And then, Benedict began to speak. He broke up sentences between heads at first, but then they started trying to talk over each other. I could tell he was upset, but I think the wild Exeggcute were the only ones who could really understand what he was saying. It went on, long after my legs fell asleep, but I didn't dare move. Not until they were all done. A few individual Exeggcute heads got into my lap, and Benedict allowed it. I thought that was brave of him. I think there was some kind of, Exeggcute bonding thing. Like how people will shake hands or exchange gifts to say goodbye.

Benedict politely asked to go back into his Pokéball and I agreed. Zubat, who had fallen asleep, woke up long enough for the rest of us to say goodbye, and of course to thank the wild Exeggcute for spending time with Benedict. It would appear, that I'm not the only one who would like some companionship from my own kind. But that's a problem for a number of reasons. For now, I'll just have to keep an eye out for anyone with an Exeggcute or Charmeleon partner.

It wasn't until dinner, when Benedict was spending most of it with Zubat, that I realized Hestia hadn't been around for any of it. While those two chatted, I explained to Hestia what had happened. She became more relaxed, I think. I wonder if she would have done the same thing Zubat had and tried to get Benedict to talk to the rest of the Exeggcute. Well, I'm sure she would have tried, but maybe with more words. I think Hestia wanted to give Benedict an 'ata-boy', but she held herself back well. Benedict did return to his Pokéball right after dinner, but at least he ate. I am so relieved after today. We're not out of the woods, in any case. But we're better than we were yesterday, I think.

-Samuel Oak

July 11, 1959

Dear Ash,

Can you believe it? I finally make it to Goldenrod City and what do I find? A festival. And it's already over. I decided to walk an extra couple hours to get to Goldenrod City, because I knew I was almost there, I wanted a nice bed to sleep in, and there was another reason I'll get to later. So, I'm still in the woods, when I hear fireworks. I rush to the treeline and catch the last half of the show. On the edge of the city I find people in kimonos and yukatas and vendors and games and all the things you normally see. But since the fireworks are done by this point, everyone is starting to go home. I missed it! All of it. I didn't even get to have any festival food. Now I'm tired from the long walk and disappointed that I didn't get here sooner.

I could have stayed out there, or found something else to do. Goldenrod City is known for how much there is to do, even after dark. But I need sleep. And not even the Game Corner can match the excitement of trying to pick up a goldfish with a paper spoon. The hostel is nice though. It's one of the largest I've seen. It's also pricier. I guess they aren't satisfied with just tourist attraction money. I don't know what that means, one of the other guests said it while talking about the cost. But it sounds good.

Speaking of tourism, the hostel has brochures for all kinds of places in the city. I picked up a few and I'm going to check some out tomorrow. I can't stay long, not at these prices. Also, I'm still trying to stick to that deadline for getting to Olivine City. That means I won't be sending for my mail, like I usually do. I'll save that for later. Or maybe I can have it all sent to Olivine City, so it will be there when I arrive. If that's something they can do.

I'm not the only one tuckered out. Zubat is exhausted. Which is funny, since he didn't do much today. There was a fair bit of excitement this morning that may have worn him out. We passed by a small lake in the forest and we took a break. Hestia and Zubat played around the water, while I sat with Benedict. Scared feels like too small a word, but I also feel like terrified is too big. He toughed it out for a while and even relaxed enough to enjoy the view. Then Hestia called out, and Benedict immediately started shaking again. I put him back in his Pokéball as quickly as possible, before finding out what was going on.

Hestia and Zubat had stumbled onto a Krabby. No, actually stubbled. I think Hestia tripped over it. I got there just in time to see her trying to get up and the very upset Krabby pinch her feet. She tried to throw it off, but that thing's pincers were like Pinsirs. I'm sorry to admit it, but it was actually hilarious to watch. I'm glad Hestia can't read right now. She got more and more upset until she tried breathing fire on her foot. That got it to let go, but also made it more angry. It was at this point that I tried to step in and said it was all an accident. They, however, were determined to fight. Fearing for my safety, and Zubat's, we got out of the way. I decided, or maybe Hestia decided for me, that it was time for a battle. A whole lot of Slashes, Leers, pinches, Flamethrowers, Bubbles, and sores later, we won. Hestia was about to fall over afterwards, but she still took the time and effort to be her own cheering section. I swear, if I hadn't put her back in her Pokéball, she would have started critiquing our performance.

The rest of the day, up to dinner, was just a calm walk. With some chit-chat between me and Zubat. Right now, I think he's right. Sleep is good, and it's past my bedtime.

-Samuel Oak

July 12, 1959

Dear Ash,

I'm kicking myself again for how crappy a trainer I can be. I ignored very clear signs and now my friend is suffering for it. I'm getting ahead of myself. There were a lot of things that happened, and not all of them bad. Sometime after noon, I was walking past a play park and I see this little pink thing run out the opposite side. My curiosity took over and I followed it. I had an idea of what it was and I wanted to see it up close. I chased it around corners and down streets. I was completely lost, except for a blob of pink leading the way. I turned into an alley, just in time to see it trip and fall on it's little face. But I wasn't the only one who rushed towards it. Two Granbull and a small pack of little Snubbull ran to meet it. The young Snubbull I had been chasing burst into tears and quickly got all the attention it could ever want.

About five seconds later, the Granbull noticed me. They are surprisingly trusting Pokémon. At no point do I think they believed I was the reason the little Snubbull was running. Which is definitely a good thing. Have you ever seen the tusks on a Granbull? Just one was the size of my arm. Instead of being upset in any way, the whole family was excited to see me. The little ones started sniffing my legs and let me pet them. The two Granbull were more reserved, but not by much. I pet and they played. One of them nibbled a bit too hard on my hand and the mom, I think, gave them a bonk on the head for it. It was adorable.

And Zubat wanted to play too. But that's where it started getting serious. Zubat flapped and chased them and was chased, like he does. And then he landed, wobbled, and nearly fell over. I barely saw it happen, but luckily a Snubbull caught him. The mom ran over to check on him before I could even move. Something was said between them, and she turned to the rest of us, and yelled something like "follow me" in Pokémon. She ran off and everyone followed. I had a repeat of my earlier exercise through the city, and wound up in an incredibly dark abandoned building. I had to crawl in and I couldn't see where they all went. When I did find them, the mom was there but not Zubat.

I tried to ask, but Granbull barked at me and nearly dragged me back outside. She started barking and growling at me when we got out. She waved her paws at the building and at the sky and at me. I couldn't understand any of it. I was really afraid for Zubat at this point and I was getting pretty upset. I began to yell back at Granbull, and then the whole family not long after. We must have make a huge ruckus, because some random person came down the alley to find out what was making so much noise. He got us to settle down, enough at least for me to explain my half of the story. Unsurprisingly, he didn't understand Granbull's argument either. That's when the other Granbull ran off. I tried to get back through the hole of an entrance, but mama Granbull got in my way and growled at me. All of the Snubbull started to whimper and even cry. That's when we both tried to cool off a bit.

The guy who came down the alley was named Chris. He's a trainer from Cianwood City, which is a remote place that's only technically part of Johto. But I learned that later. Chris and I waited impatiently for what I would swear was more than an hour, before the father Granbull, again I think that's what it was, came back. He had an adult human with him. The man stopped and asked what was going on, but before I could explain anything, both Granbull pushed him into the building. And they still wouldn't let me go in. So I waited. Again. Looking back, I could have asked Hestia to try to explain things to me, but I wasn't thinking that clearly at the time.

When the man finally crawled back out, he didn't look pleased. He explained that he was a Pokémon doctor and that the wild Granbull and Snubbull were friends of his. I tried to ask about Zubat, why were they hiding him from me? He said it was because Zubat was asleep. He asked me a few questions, about if Zubat was my Pokémon, or if I had ever raised a Pokémon like Zubat, or if Zubat had been unusually tired lately. I became annoyed and he got to the point. Zubat are nocturnal. Meaning they sleep during the day. I knew that. But then I realized, I somehow forgot that. Zubat has been with me for weeks and he's been active during the day the whole time! It was so natural for me that I never questioned it. The doctor said that Zubat has been defying his natural rhythm and that that could end up killing him if he does it for too long. That was why he's been so tired and resting so much lately, I thought stupidly. He was trying to stay awake to spend time with me, and hurting himself in the process.

The doctor told me that Granbull realized this and rushed Zubat here, to where he could get actual sleep. And they prevented me from going in so I wouldn't wake him up. I apologized to Granbull, once the shock had worn off a bit. The whole family was forgiving, which cheered me up somewhat. The doctor, whose name escapes me now, invited us back to his clinic while we waited for nightfall to check on Zubat. Chris agreed and I was surprised to remember he was even still there. And so we followed the doctor.

I don't remember much else. It was hours before sunset, so I decided to do the other things I was planning on doing. However, they did seem less fun without Zubat. But I guess I shouldn't have planned to do those things with him from the begining. I went to the Game Corner, didn't win enough to get any prizes. I went to the beach. Went to the mall. And I found myself back at the dark building well before it was dark outside. Chris, the Granbull and Snubbull family, and the doctor all joined me eventually. Zubat woke up later than I think he should have, yet he still seemed tired. But he was so happy to see me. And I was happy to see he was okay. I apologized and hugged him, maybe a little too hard. But he got to meet everyone, and took the time to perch on each of their heads.

I'm back at the hostel now, naturally. Zubat is out eating, he gets his own food. I think it's time to send Zubat back home. I always knew I couldn't take him with me. And I hate to admit it, but with us having different sleep patterns, it really isn't a good idea for me to try to. I wouldn't be able to care for him and give him the attention he deserves. I want to do the right thing here, but I also don't want to lose my friend. I'll have to try to talk with him about it tomorrow evening. When we're both rested.

-Samuel Oak

July 13, 1959

Dear Ash,

Training was strange without Zubat. It was just me and Hestia almost the entire time. Benedict wasn't up for doing anything. They were both upset to hear about Zubat. Hestia in particular, I think is taking it hard. She didn't finish her breakfast and was much slower to do anything, training or otherwise. I would have liked to keep them both outside of their Pokéballs today, to let them see the city, but Benedict wouldn't have been able to cope I think. Hestia was only half interested in anything going on, but I think it was healthy for her to be out.

We met up with Chris from yesterday. The hostel he's staying at has a saltwater pool, you know, for water type Pokémon who need their exercise but can't spend time on dry land. It's never been a problem for me, but Chris said that it's limited the amount of places he can travel to. After all, not every hostel, or even town, has facilities to care for Pokémon with specific needs. Which is definitely true. While we were there, I saw all kinds of water type Pokémon. I couldn't keep track of them all. I got a sketch done of Chris's Mantine and Kangaskhan. If you haven't seen a Mantine, it's a big oval shaped Pokémon, but squished down, grey on bottom and blue on top, and a face on one of the long sides and a tail on the other. I'm not great at describing things with words, look at the drawing. While we were talking, I had another of my strange questions, I've been told that animal fish can only live in either saltwater or freshwater, but not both. I don't really understand why, but that's what I was told. I asked Chris if the same was true for water type Pokémon. He said they have a preference, but that Mantine has been just fine in both types of water. He doesn't know why it's not a problem for Pokémon, but it is for animals. Goldenrod is bound to have a huge library, now I have another reason to go.

Mantine couldn't stay out of her Pokéball for obvious reasons, but Chris, his Kangaskhan, Hestia, and I, went looking at more tourist attractions. We went back to the Game Corner and I had lots more fun this time. We went to a foreign restaurant and I tried these delicious sweet cake things. Hestia, carnivore that she is, wanted this big yak steak thing. It was expensive and I thought it smelled funny, and yet she ate the whole thing. Almost by herself. Chris agreed to help pay for it, but it cost so much that now I have almost no money left for shopping tomorrow.

Being poor again, we went somewhere free. We took the tour of the famous Goldenrod Radio Tower. Unfortunately, Pokémon aren't allowed inside, due to the age of some of the equipment, so Chris and I had to go alone. It's one of the oldest radio towers in the world, but still powerful enough to reach more than half of Johto. Because it can reach so far, since the time it was built nearly every major government leader of Johto has done a public interview or broadcast from there. At the end of the tour, they showed us some plans for the next radio tower. This one is just too old to keep up with new technology. And they don't want to bring in new stuff, or they would lose all this history. So, the city has been making plans to build a new, bigger, better tower. I didn't understand anything besides the model, but it sounded impressive.

It would seem that Chris and I are heading the same direction. He's actually returning home, to stay, from his own journey. When I asked why he would want to stop traveling, he told me that he misses the stability of staying in one place. He said that travel was great and he loved seeing everything he could, but Cianwood City is where he wants to be, at least right now. He said it was a complex emotion that I'd probably understand someday. And he also said that his parents aren't made of money and that he's been told to get a real job. Since we're both leaving for Olivine City, we agreed to go together. Tomorrow we'll shop for supplies and leave the next morning. It will be nice to have a person along for the journey again. But I'll be miss a different companion.

At Chris's suggestion, I spent most of the late afternoon and evening trying to sleep. I didn't really, but I tried. I met up with Zubat at the abandoned building from yesterday. We spent some time enjoying the nightlife of the city with Hestia. But, eventually we had to step out of town. We all sat down, even Benedict, and we had a talk. It was the hardest thing I've ever had to say. It was even harder to do than when we climbed up those vines to try to reach Celebi, Ash. But maybe not as scary as when we thought he was, you know. I told Zubat that I thought it would be best for him to go home to the cave in the mountains. I don't have another Pokéball and he can't sleep during the day on my back. And I can't stay up all night any more than he can stay up during the day. It would be too lonely for him. And he can't keep forcing himself to stay awake during the day either, the doctor said it was killing him. Hestia and Benedict both shared. Zubat was very clearly upset. But I think he knew it was the truth. I couldn't really understand what it was he said, but I think he tried to say that he knew he would have to return someday, but that he just liked us too much to leave. I was scared when he almost flew away right then. I told him I didn't want him to go right now, or ever really. But definitely not like this.

I spent almost the entire night out there with him. I can't even believe I'm awake enough to write this much. We tried to make the most of it. We explored and ate food. I tried to do shadow puppets with Hestia's tale flame. We were chased by a Hoothoot that Zubat managed to annoy. At the end of it all, it was only an hour or two until sunrise I think. The sun is rising while I'm writing this, after all. Zubat agreed to stay in the city one more day and leave tomorrow, when he can fly for a full night. That also means we get another night to prepare to say goodbye. A real goodbye and not just toss him out. That's not what we where doing, but it would have felt like it. It still feels like it, really.

Now I have to sleep during the day. And I'm dreading tomorrow night.

-Samuel Oak

July 14, 1959

Dear Ash,

I had a very late start today. I don't think I've ever managed to sleep that late. Mom never would have let me. And I still feel Drowzee. Thankfully, Chris was understanding. When I didn't make it to our meet up on time, he came by and left a note letting me know where to find him. Not too much of the tourism today. Which is disappointing, since it was our last day in the city. Most of our time was spent in and around the mall. The shops are huge. This one place had three stories, for a single store. The train toy store, yes a whole store for toy trains, had a great little model with a hovering train set! It wasn't a kit or premade thing either. One of the store's customers built it himself. They said that if it was for sale, it would probably cost more than I get from home in a year. We also took the time to get supplies. We'll have way more than I'm used to, not because there's two of us, but because there's three. Chris has a special backpack for Kangaskhan and she can carry a ton. I wish I had thought to do that with Hestia.

With some begging, Chris agreed to go to the library too. It's not quite as big as I had hoped, but it is much bigger than the one in Violet City. Maybe my vision of a ten story library with a built in malt shop and bookstore, lecture halls, and observation deck is simply too grand to be real. Chris gave me a funny look when I told him that. Then I told him I would create my own library, with a game corner and ballroom. He tried to walk out after that one. My quest to find out what makes Pokémon so special only deepend. They didn't have any new books for me on that subject. Nor how flying and fighting types are different than normal types. When I asked about saltwater and freshwater Pokémon, I think the clerk became fed up with me. I was given a book on how train water types. It was worth a try, at least. I did look up why water based animals have to stick to one type of water, it has to do with balancing the water content inside their body with the water outside. And something about being stuck in one environment and not having to change? I read the thing several times, but I still couldn't fully get it. Again, if a fish has to do that stuff, why doesn't a Pokémon? Is it because a Pokémon can make its own water? Why won't anyone give me answers?

After nightfall, I saw Zubat. I told him all about my day and tried to show him a couple of nice spots I found that I thought he would like. But all he would do was sit on my head. Even when we were out of the city, I sat on a boulder and he sat in my messy hair. We were like that for a long time, not talking. I didn't want to let out Hestia and Benedict, because it was just one more step toward letting Zubat go. But I did. Hestia was the first to cry. And that lead to the rest of us falling apart. When I recovered some, I gave Zubat something I got for him, a piece of seaglass I found when I went to the beach the day I found the Granbull. I had meant to keep it myself, but when I couldn't find a gift in the shops, so I decided to tie a string around the seaglass and make it into a necklace of sorts. It was just Zubat's size, of course. He liked it, I'm sure. I said I would come back and see him again some day. And I really mean to. He'll just have to listen for me when I get there.

In all honesty, Zubat wasn't with us for that long. But there is no question that he was part of our family. I will miss him. I'll miss his screeching, the way he would flap around anything that moved, how he would sit on my head. I'll miss him a lot.

-Samuel Oak

July 18, 1959

Dear Ash,

It's been a few days, hasn't it? But honestly, not much has happened. Since Chris and I left Goldenrod City, we started training together and sharing stories of our adventures. I told him about how a Paras stole my lunch, and that time I had to lead that Flaaffy back home. He told me about when he got trapped on an island and declared himself king of the Tentacool. We saw a school of Magikarp out in the ocean. I wanted to get a better look, but Chris said they were too far out and that we would see more of them soon enough.

What I did get close enough to see, was a pair of male and female Nidoran. The male became angry when I got close, so I backed off. Chris said it might be mating season. But before we had seen a few of Nidorina all alone. I asked why their higher evolutions weren't mating, he said that Nidoran's evolutions can't make babies. That sounds suspect to me, but he insists it's true. While I was asking him questions about it, I realized I know almost nothing about how Pokémon reproduce. And I had the perfect opportunity to ask the people in that village where they played 'pull Sudowoodo down', too. Remember, they specially breed their Sudowoodo and Bellsprout to be that tall. They must know everything about making baby Pokémon. And I missed the chance to ask about it. I kicked myself for five whole minutes about that before I went on to tell Chris about that sport. Now he doesn't believe me.

Meals have been, different. We've been sharing cooking duty. And it seems a backpack isn't the only thing Chris got for his Kangaskhan. She can cook. Sort of. Pokémon have different tastes than people and Pokémon usually just find their food and eat it, when in the wild. Someone, Chris I guess, thought it would be cool to teach a Pokémon how to make human food. Chris tries to instruct her, but she somehow burns every dish. It's amazing, he watches her the whole time, but she manages anyway. It's not Chris's own lack of skill, either. Everything he makes comes out fine. If a little bland. At least I'm not doing all of the cooking.

Hestia has been friendly with Kangaskhan, Mantine, and Chris. I think she shared what happened with that Krabby last week, I saw her miming falling down. Benedict has been less friendly. I had hoped that since Kangaskhan had a baby, he might get along with the little one. But mommy is just too intimidating. Benedict will take long looks at everyone and the surroundings, but only from my lap. And only when he's sure no one is looking. We're going to be with Chris and his Pokémon for a while, so I hope Benedict warms up to them.

To pass the time, Chris "plays with words" as he puts it. He often composes poems about the things around him. But it takes him a while to get the syllable count right, and I start getting annoyed after he repeats the same set of words eight hundred times. I prefer 'taking the end', you know the game where one person says a word and the next person has to say a word that starts the same way the other ended. Just because Chris usually plays by himself, doesn't mean he's a slouch. He's won more than half of the games we've played. I almost want to buy a dictionary just to beat him really good.

Chris has our trip pretty well planned out. He wants to stop by bodies of water at least once a day, if not more. The route is roundabout, but we should get to Olivine City before the ferry for Unova leaves. And I'm glad we're not just following the coast, which would have been easier. There are still a couple of sights I want to get to along the way. And personally, I think there are more adventures to be had on the road than on the beach.

-Samuel Oak

July 20, 1959

Dear Ash,

My special training isn't that strange, is it? Yes, trainers are supposed to stand back and give orders, but I should be fit too I think. How can I expect my Pokémon to work hard if I don't try just as hard? Chris thinks I'm being ridiculous. He thinks the only one who should run laps and tackle logs is Kangaskhan. Lazy know-it-all. But he does give me space to work with Benedict, who needs special attention. And Chris will battle with me and Hestia. Not hard hitting battles, of course. We're on the road, far from any Pokémon care facilities and we only have so many potions. Those things are expensive. While we try to make sure our Pokémon don't go all out, the battles are more intense than what I'm used to. Having someone else planning and yelling out commands is scarier than fighting, well nothing. It's kind of fun. But still scary.

Still, Hestia has had a wonderful time. She's not much of a battler, but she loves battles. That does make sense, trust me. Why just today, she was able to do her favorite thing, be a critic. We took a break in the afternoon, it was going to be a simple rest to get drinks. We were sitting there, minding our own business, looking out an opening in the trees that let us see down the mountain. It was nice, if I had the time, I would have tried to draw it. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I see Hestia spin around. I look behind me and find a Vulpix laying on the ground. I was about to cry out in horror, when Hestia beat me to it. I look at her and there's another Vulpix that's sitting on her tail, the long part, facing the end. I remember quite well because it was playing with Hestia's tail flame. Hestia was flipping out, trying to shake the second Vulpix off. And the first, the one Hestia knocked away I guess, came back and tried to play with the fire too.

Chris, Kangaskhan, and I can't do anything but watch at this point. It was just funny. Hestia tried shaking, twisting, and pulling away to get the Vulpix to stop, but nothing worked. Then she got violent. Her claws glowed, in that way they do when she uses Slash, and she reached behind herself and jabbed at the sides of one of the Vulpix. I don't think I have to say it jumped away. That gave Hestia enough freedom to turn and Bite the other. I thought that might be the end, because neither of them looked like they wanted to fight. Hestia started to yell at them and, well the best way to describe it is 'dance around', pointing at her tail and at the Vulpix and everything else.

The two Vulpix weren't listening. They tried to chase Hestia's tail again. This time when she yelled, fire came out with her words. Having the opposite effect of what she wanted, I think. They thought the mouth flames were great and the two got really close to Hestia's face. In a panic, she used Ember. The two got singed, but at the same time, I think they loved it. They squeaked like they wanted more. Hestia gave up at this point I think. She blew flames all around her, careful not to light any trees or us, while the Vulpix chased the flames. It was adorable. And maybe terrifying if I think about it too much.

Hestia played with them, but somehow it turned into a lecture. Hestia led the Vulpix over to the bush and started giving them instructions. Chris had to ask what was happening. To be fair, it took me a minute to figure it out. Hestia was teaching them how to pounce. She had one crouch in the bush and told it how high to stand. Then she demonstrated jumping. And then some other stuff I couldn't quite follow. Wild Pokémon sneak attack her and she reacts by trying to make them better at it. Hestia is just weird. At least she didn't try to teach them how to use fire type attacks. They should know how by instinct, but if those two did, this forest would have burned down by now.

The whole incident reminded me of my neighbour back in Pallet Town. The girl who lived there, who was a couple years older than me, wanted a flying type Pokémon for her Pokémon journey. She wanted it to carry her all over the world. Her parents didn't like that idea I guess, because they brought home a little Doduo. A puffball with legs and two more puffballs with beaks. No way that thing was going to fly. I was annoyed, just because I thought it was cheating. But Annabelle, stuck to it. She rode that Pokémon night and day, up and down the street, telling it to take off. The thing could jump, but I never thought it would fly. Especially with her on its back. Except, one day we all heard her cheer like never before. I check out my bedroom window and saw her and Doduo, up in the sky, soaring around her house. I also saw her fall. Annabelle fell onto her roof and then straight to the ground. She broke her legs in three places. It took so long for her to recover, that she had to put off leaving home for more than a year. But when she did, she insisted on traveling the world with her Doduo. Last I knew, she still was. I should ask Mom about that.

Dinner was nice tonight. More on the simple side since I was the one cooking. But at least it was simple and tasty and not burnt. I'm kidding, mostly. But I'm really getting to know Kangaskhan. I'm curious about the baby she has. The same baby every Kangaskhan I've ever seen has. Which, now that I think of it, is odd. They must breed like crazy in the wild. Maybe Chris knows more. He's asleep so I can't ask him. Anyway, Kangaskhan showed me how she grooms the baby and feeds it. It's cute, when she's playing with the baby, Kangaskhan will make a humming-squeaking noise. The baby has also taken an interest in Hestia's tail flame. Which makes us all nervous. But we keep an eye on her.

By the way, I didn't get it at the time, but I did manage to draw the Vulpix "attacking" Hestia from memory. Check it out, if Hestia hasn't found and destroyed it.

-Samuel Oak


	7. July 24-August 17

July 24, 1959

Dear Ash,

Out here between towns, miles inland, is a place of pure wonder and nature. About three years ago, my mom told me about this area she passed through in Johto. When you first get there, you think you're standing at the top of a mountain, because everything in front of you slopes away downwards. But once you look into the distance, you see that it goes back up. And it does this in a huge circle. It's as if someone used a giant ice cream scope, and removed a chunk of land. But instead of barren dirt, there's this perfect spot of untouched nature. At least, that's how mom described it. She also said that when she was there, that she saw wild Pokémon she'd never heard of and still can't put a name to.

To say that I wanted to find this place would be an understatement. Before I left for Johto, I made mom outline the area on the map wher she thought it might be. She didn't keep track of where she was at the time, and she couldn't identify it on any of the maps I brought her either. So, I had to search for it myself. Chris, thank goodness, had a good idea of where it was. And here we are. We hiked down into the Basin Forest, as he calls it, earlier today. There are so many Stantler, that I've lost count. The trees are so thick and tall that we thought the sun had set early. Chris said that since the edges of the basin are way above us, the days will be shorter in here. Scary. But in a good way. As long as there are no ghosts.

We haven't found any new Pokémon yet. I'm still holding out hope, though. Hestia on the other hand, or claw, found something new that she really liked. There was a small glade we passed through with red and violet leafy plants. Chris and I got a good look, no flowers or berries or anything like that. Just brightly colored leaves on stems. Kangaskhan apparently thought they were pretty and picked a few to for her baby. But Hestia loves it. I haven't seen her eyes so big since she saw that yak meal in Goldenrod City. And I haven't seen her look so content as she does right now since she finished eating that yak meal. I don't really get why, but she's in love with this plant. We waited a good long while in that glade, before we had to drag her out of it. She picked a bunch to take with her though. She's sleeping with it. Honestly, it's heartwarming to see.

Speaking of heartwarming, Kangaskhan has been letting me take care of her baby. Chris has had to explain what Kangaskhan can't teach me by miming, but I'm getting the hang of it. A couple days ago, when we were at a river, I gave her a bath. My ears still hurt from the screaming. I don't always like getting clean either, but I've never been that upset about it. I don't think I did anything wrong, thankfully, because Kangaskhan was watching me the whole time. Did you know that baby Kangaskhan eat from nipple like things inside their mom's pouch? Isn't that weird?

Also, I asked Chris about why every Kangaskhan I've seen has a baby. He said that's because every Kangaskhan is a mother. As in, they're all girls. How that could be? I mean, there have to be boys somewhere, right? Like, I know Miltank are all girls and Tauros are all boys, but they have each other for the breeding part. Yes, the whole mommy and daddy loving each other isn't the same for Pokémon, I know Pokémon can mate with entirely different species. Like how my dad would breed Charizard with other trainers, even though they didn't have Charizards themselves. We have no idea why or how, we just know that whatever the mom is is what the baby will be. I know all of this, but at the same time, it seems wrong. Like, I thought animals could only breed with others that were the same animal. Shouldn't there still be boys and girls of all the different species? Chris doesn't understand either. I wonder if the same thing goes for people? But anyways, Chris said that wild Kangaskhan live in families, and they can be extremely violent with other families. He said that's probably why they always have a baby, they have a new one as soon as the other leaves the pouch. I don't quite get how those two things are related. And Chris doesn't seem to want to explain. Does he think I won't understand? Just because I'm younger, doesn't mean I'm stupid. I'll have to look it up the next time I go to the library.

We're lucky tonight. We found a little waterfall with a large pool at the base. We're camping right next to it. And don't think we didn't go for a swim earlier. Mantine has been out of her Pokéball for hours and she couldn't be happier. While we're walking, she doesn't get to come out and say hi a lot. She gets to play and sleep outside even less. Being a water locked Pokémon must be difficult when you're with someone who travels on land. Then again, the ocean is supposed to be huge. But isn't it all kind of the same under the water? Lucky Chris has a Pokéball so he can take Mantine to all kinds of interesting places. Like the Basin Forest! Can't wait to explore more tomorrow. And Hopefully see some rare Pokémon.

-Samuel Oak

July 25, 1959

Dear Ash,

You shouldn't sleep right next to the river. My brother told me that once, but I never listen to him. I've never had a problem with it. Except that last night a wild boar showed up in our camp. In the middle of the night, Chris screams out of nowhere. Later he said he had heard it drinking from the river, and when he saw a dark figure, he freaked out. So he yells, and I panic because I think he's seen a ghost. Once he realized what it was he calmed down, but by that point he had already scared the boar. It ran towards me, saw me and turned towards Hestia. It must have been scared of her too, since it kept changing direction. We were too late to notice that Kangaskhan, the baby, had gotten out of mom's pouch and was walking around. None of us saw it until the boar was about to run her over. Before any of us could even shout, Kangaskhan, the mom, Mega Punches the boar and it flies right into a tree. In no time flat, it gets up and runs back into the forest.

I was about to relax, when Kangaskhan screams bloody murder and her eyes shine red. She had gone into a Rage. She charged into the forest after the boar and Chris and I follow. But Chris was a quick thinker. He took out his Pokéball and returned Kangaskhan before she could get out of range. We catch our breath for about two seconds before we remember that baby Kangaskhan is back at the campsite. We ran back and find Hestia at the river's edge with Mantine and the baby, who is crying. She's crying a lot, but she's okay. That was one heck of a way to wake up.

And believe it or not, that wasn't the most tiring thing that we did today. After mom and baby calmed down, we did some exploring. I said it before, but the trees are jam packed down there. We would walk twenty feet and wouldn't be able to see where we came from. I'll admit, there were quite a few Pokémon, mostly bug and grass types, but nothing I've never seen before. I didn't want to, but Chris insisted that we try to move on. And it's a good thing he did, I guess. There was a problem. When we entered the Basin Forest yesterday, we must have been very lucky to find a gently sloping path to get in. Because it took us hours and no less than five tries to find a way out that didn't end at a wall of pure dirt and roots. And when we did find a way out, we still had to climb more than walk up it. The sky was already turning orange by the time we found ourselves back on flat earth. Mom failed to mention that little issue.

Chris gave me a hard time about making him go down there in the first place. He didn't mean any of it though, I could see he couldn't stop smiling. Still, he did go on for long time, so I grabbed a dirt ball and chucked it at him. Lightly. Naturally, this lead to a sword fight with sticks. My leg is bruised, but I hit him in the guts like three times. And it was a human battle, too. As in, Hestia and Kangaskhan were behind us, shouting commands and warning us about attacks. I think it was a draw, but Chris thinks he won. Hestia, it seems, agrees with him. I got quite the lecture after the battle.

It was a long, really long, day. But not that bad. I didn't meet any new Pokémon, but I did get a couple of sketches. And I realized that I'm running out of pages. I need a new sketchbook. I hope I can get one in the next town we pass through, which should be the day after tomorrow, according to Chris. I'll need a new journal soon too. Not every day will be as dull as today.

-Samuel Oak

July 28, 1959

Dear Ash,

We're in town tonight. Which is good. But I don't know how to feel about today. It's strange, you know, I grew up being told about the war. But I didn't really think about it or how it affected me. Mostly because it was over, and that we were moving into a time of peace. And now I have to question whether I actually believe that or not.

I'm nothing if not a storyteller for you, Ash. So let me start with Brandi, who we met on our way into town today. She's a nice girl, she has a long braid that splits in two at the end. We found her in the mud. To be fair, she was trying to get her Pokémon to use Mud Slap or something and by the time Chris and I got there, she had turned the road into a mud pit. We just stood there and watched until she noticed us. Well okay, we were both a little too confused to announce ourselves before she noticed us. Which she did. And she immediately challenged us to a Pokémon battle. We tried to talk our way out of it, but she had her Pokémon Mud Slap us in the face. Hestia laughed. Kangaskhan laughed. Brandi laughed. Chris and I, did not. But we still didn't battle her, she was eight. I know a trainer is a trainer no matter the age. But she was eight.

Besides, I was distracted by her Pokémon. A pink blob, with a white belly, spikes, and a fleshy flower bulb thing on its head. I was kind of rude, I picked it up and started examining it without asking. Chris had to apologize for me. Once Brandi gave up on battling us, she explained that her Pokémon was a West Sea Shellos. I was so excited. I had never heard of a Pokémon like this. For a second I thought it might be the Pokémon my mom had seen in Basin Forest. But then Chris said he'd been to all the seas in Johto and Kanto and he'd never seen or heard of Shellos either. Brandi, told us it wasn't from Johto or Kanto, Shellos came from Sinnoh.

I don't know how to explain how I felt. I've always wanted to go to Sinnoh. And I've always thought that the war seemed like a pretty dumb thing to begin with. But I don't know, hearing that Shellos was from Sinnoh, scared me I think. I froze. Chris was just as surprised. It took Brandi a second to realize what she had said. She grabbed her Shellos from me and ran off. Chris and I were in shock. It wasn't until Hestia barked at me, that I snapped back into reality. We chased after her.

We found our way into town and we started to ask around where we could find her. Through the front window of her house, I could see her crying while her mom hugged her. I wasn't sure we should, but Chris knocked on the door right away. A stern looking woman answered, and Chris tried to explain that we wanted to apologize to Brandi, whose name we didn't actually learn until just then. But I wasn't sure what we were doing there. I knew we had been surprised by her Pokémon being from Sinnoh. And I know we chased after Brandi when she ran away. But at no point, did I think about what it meant. Or why we had chased her. What did we think was going to happen by talking to someone who might be from Johto's greatest enemy. I hate that I thought that, but it is what went through my mind. I don't like that I felt that way.

Cassidy, Brandi's mom, invited us in. She gave us some cookies, and explained. During the last war, which only ended a few years ago, Cassidy and her Gastrodon were soldiers. They had been deployed as part of a marine invasion force. That was when they had been captured by the Johto Defense Fleet. While she was a prisoner of war, she fell in love with one of the guards. After the war ended, she had gotten permission to stay. She said it was a complicated and troublesome process, but now she gets to live with her family here. I didn't notice until Chris mentioned it, but Brandi's eight. She would have been born before the war had actually been declared over. When I think about it, well I'm too confused to know what to think. I shouldn't feel so strange about Sinnoh people living in Johto, which isn't even MY home region. But I do feel strange and I do feel uncomfortable. And I hate myself for it.

I think Cassidy understood. She tried to make us feel welcome and she answered all of our questions. Which for me, turned out to be mostly about Shellos. He dashed away all, or at least most, of my worries when I saw him again. I made sure to get a really detailed picture of him. I asked about Gastrodon, which was Cassidy's Pokémon and Shellos's mother, but she passed away last year. I felt a whole different kind of terrible. How do you deal with losing your Pokémon, your friend, your family? Brandi knew what I was thinking. She distracted me by showing me all of her and Shellos's moves. They're leaving on their own journey as soon as possible. I think it's too soon, I had to wait until I was nine. But Cassidy said Brandi can go, as soon as she gets permission from the Johto government. We may be "at peace", but that doesn't mean the war is entirely over. I guess that goes for me too.

We spent the rest of the day there. Chris and I are going to say goodbye in the morning, before we depart. Brandi told us that there's an area, just north of here, that the town is trying to get turned into a national park. They want to make sure it's protected from any future developments. I think that means that no one will be able to build or live there. Which is a good idea, I guess. Good for the wild Pokémon at least. But she said it's a wonderful place to find bug type Pokémon. I made Chris add it to the map, so we're heading there tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it. Like how I was looking forward to going to Sinnoh, but now I'm not so sure if I should go. Or if I deserve to go. Just one more thing I need to think about.

-Samuel Oak

August 3, 1959

Dear Ash,

We've been going more West for the past few days. We did make a trip through that area Brandi recommended. So many Beedrill. I enjoyed myself, but going probably wasn't the best idea after all. I didn't realize it, and maybe Chris didn't either, but he apparently has a slight fear of bug type Pokémon. Or maybe just giant stingers. He was tense the entire time. I don't think he even took a breath until we made camp for the night. I'll have to remember that for the future.

A day or so ago, we stopped by a lake. We stayed for a few hours to let Mantine stretch. Of course, things can never just be nice and relaxing. Somehow, and I really cannot figure out how, Mantine dragged a very confused Golduck onto the shore. We weren't sure what to do, but Golduck did. It started to dig into the dirt and bury itself. I just watched at first. What else could I do? Okay, eventually I tried to tell Golduck that we weren't going to hurt it. And it only dug faster. But, in a moment I can't really describe, I connected with it. I sat down next to the hole it was rapidly trying to bury itself in, and I spoke in a soft voice. I apologized for Mantine and told Golduck we wanted to be its friends. It looked into my eyes, and I think I could see the moment Golduck chose to trust me.

So, I helped Golduck out of the hole and I introduced it around. It was very shy. Which is understandable, seeing as how we met. Golduck warmed up to Kangaskhan and me the most. It refused to go near Hestia for some reason. It was a good time. I even tried to share some of my food, which Golduck spat out immediately. It's okay, I did the same when it tried to share "real food" with me. I wanted to get a drawing of it, but when I pulled out my book, Golduck got nervous and was all twitchy. Kangaskhan decided to pose it like a scarecrow and hold it there while I drew them both. It's an awkward picture, but funny at the same time. Golduck had fun I hope, even if it did start with a kidnapping.

And just today, Chris and I witnessed something you don't get to see in the wild that often. There was this Meowth, fighting off a Magnemite. Or maybe it was attacking the Magnemite. Either way, I wanted to stop it. But I remembered those Ekans with the Aipom, and as much I wish I hadn't, the ball of Rattata bones. Pokémon fight in the wild. They eat in the wild. Should I interfere with that? I ask this now, but at the time all I wanted to do was rush in there and stop the fighting. I thought about Benedict and I ran in there. Sadly, I was too late.

Neither of them died, I want to say that right here, so that you don't get nervous. The Meowth knocked the Magnemite down, then tossed it into a tree. The Meowth stood over its opponent and looked scarily happy with itself. I think it was about to drag the Magnemite away, when the Meowth began to shine. I had to shut my eyes, it was so bright. It was something I've only seen a couple times, evolution. Even though my eyes were mostly closed, I could almost see its body change shape. When the shining stopped, there was a Persian, looming over the Magnemite. It took a long look at the unconscious Pokémon, and then swatted it away. At this point, I remembered why I had jumped out. I yelled at the Persian, and it noticed me for the first time. It hissed at me. Loudly. I may have fallen on my butt. It stalked towards me and I forgot how to run. Lucky for me, Chris and Kangaskhan jumped out and told Persian to scram. It didn't look scared, but it did walk away. I might have fainted right then and there, if I hadn't remembered Magnemite.

It was out cold, and even though they don't bruise like most Pokémon, we could tell it was badly hurt. We used all but two of our Potions trying to heal it. Chris stopped me from using all of them, telling me that it would be fine now. I couldn't leave it, though. We stayed with it until it woke up. Of course, it was still in fight mode when it did. It shocked all of us and Tackled Kangaskhan in the head before running off. Kangaskhan was about to go after it, but Chris returned her in time. For the rest of the day, Chris wouldn't stop talking about why we shouldn't have gotten involved. Little does he know, I would do it all again. I never want to stand by and watch Pokémon get hurt. Even if that is the natural way of things.

-Samuel Oak

August 5, 1959

Dear Ash,

Have you ever taken the time to just relax? I haven't, not recently anyway. We've been on a bit of a schedule for the past few weeks. And before that, when we had Zubat, there was still too much walking to do. I didn't notice so much, but I've been tired. But I feel better now, calmer even. Today we decided to take a break when we found a couple of large boulders. The four of us sat down and stared at the sky for a while. And then we fell asleep. In the middle of the day, in direct sunlight, on a hard rock. But it was so comfy. I dreamed I was on a cucumber spaceship and I had to keep turning this wheel made from seeds or my brother would pull over. That has nothing to do with what I'm trying to say, though. I think we were asleep for a while. And it was nice. Hestia nuzzled her head against mine. Kangaskhan and baby were laying down like cartoon characters that had gone splat. My body is kind of stiff, and yet my head feels less noisy. I kind of want to nap every day.

I wish Benedict could have joined us. He's been doing a lot better. He still doesn't like Kangaskhan, so he never stays out for longer than needed. Training is good, too. Barrage, Psychic, and Leech Seed have started working. At least against logs, that is. Yes, we're still doing the running and tackling thing. And we're doing laps, short ones. I make sure to give Hestia time to spend with Benedict so she can tell him about all the things we've seen. After today's nap time, I wonder if I should let out Benedict and give him the chance to spend time outside. Without having anything to do. Would that be too scary? I can never get him to stay out after the things I kind of make him stay out to do. With nothing to do, he probably would like staying outside even less. I'll offer. After all, it is his choice. And I want it to stay that way.

I've really enjoyed having Chris around. Not just because his Pokémon are interesting or because it's nice to have company. Though, those things help. He's more honest than I am. He'll talk about stuff, but when it comes to how he thinks or how he feels, he always tries for a poem. It gets annoying. At the same time, once he gets there, each poem feels right in some way. Like they really capture the moment. I told him he should write them down and publish a book. But Chris said that his poetry is about the present and that's where it belongs. I think he doesn't know how to read. He hasn't looked at a single sign we've passed and he didn't want to stay in the library in Goldenrod City. Suspicious. All that aside, I feel safe traveling with someone older and more experienced than me. It's like I can relax for once. Maybe that's the nap talking.

It's been a dull couple of days. No crazy encounters or funny stories. It's been both boring and nice. Which is weird. I've enjoyed it, but I'm ready for another adventure.

-Samuel Oak

August 9, 1959

Dear Ash,

We passed by a shrine today. Not a full shrine, like at a temple or anything. Just a little stone altar. A place for travelers to leave offerings and pray for a safe trip. I was surprised Chris didn't know what it was. I mean, I'm not shocked he's never seen one. People don't make them anymore and most of the them have fallen apart through the years. But, to not have even heard of them is strange. At least to me. Chris asked me to explain, but really I only know what my brother told me. Back when there weren't cars and good roads and travel was much more dangerous, villages would put up the shrines as rest points along the way. Travelers would offer food or burn incense for the spirits. Not to Pokémon or to gods or even to their ancestors. Just spirits. I'll admit, it's odd to think about traditions that don't involve Pokémon in some way. But I swear that's how it goes. I wonder what people were like back when these were built. What were their Pokémon like. Maybe that's something else I could read about.

But you don't want to hear about that, you want to hear about the wacky stuff that happened to us. Well, Chris and I passed through a village a few days ago. This summer has been hot and muggy, but it's been especially bad for the last week. Lucky for us, it was a rice farming village. The first thing we did was jump into the water and soak. And we were caught and yelled at almost immediately. We would have been tossed out of town if another one of the farmers hadn't calmed the woman down. I apologized and so did Chris, although we didn't really regret what we did.

It was pretty there. Not gorgeous like Greenfield, but pleasant to look at in its own way. There was a shop that served rice balls, good ones. From there, we could see all the way across the fields and all of the farmers working away. And I saw a group of kids doing the exact same thing we had done in the distance. I almost wanted to call foul for being yelled at. But I didn't. Because I'm better than that. And because I don't tattle. On people other than my brothers.

Sorry, here's the wacky story. In the morning, I was woken up by the sound of someone screaming outside. Not scared screaming, angry screaming. When I looked out, there was that same woman from the day before, running through the water and waving a stick around. It wasn't until I got to the edge of the field that I could see she was chasing birds. And not just any birds, but Farfetch'd. A whole flock of them. I've never heard of there being so many of them together before. I was ecstatic, and the woman was exploding. The Farfetch'd kept flapping away from her, but landing back in the paddies a few yards away. She must have chased them for ten minutes. Maybe I should have done more than just stand there and watch. But I didn't have to. She caused enough of a racket that others went to join her with their Pokémon. It was a flock of Farfetch'd versus a ragtag team of Marill, Wooper, Quagsire, and a Vaporeon. I expected a lot of Gusts, but the Farfetch'd only attacked with their bodies or their leeks. Which I think put them at a disadvantage, since they would have to get close to attack, but the others could do so from a distance. Sure, the Farfetch'd could fly, but that was like running away. And whenever they got close, the people would get involved too. It's not really how you're supposed to battle, but I think they were more concerned about their crops.

Anyway, the farmers managed to grab a few of the Farfetch'd before the rest flew away. That was when I remembered Hestia. I told her all about it later, but she was upset with me for not letting her see it herself. Chris was cranky, too. But he doesn't have the same Leer Hestia does. We ended up leaving the village with one of the locals. He had put the Farfetch'd into cages made from old boxes. They were all knocked out and were in rough condition. But Jeremy, that's the villager, told me not to help them or they might escape. The Farfetch'd are a nuisance and he was going to a nearby town to sell them. Apparently they "fetch" quite a high price. It must be because they're so rare. I hope their new trainers, or just human friends, take good care of them. It really bothered me to see them like that.

Now, Chris and I are on our own again. In less than a week, we'll be in Olivine City. Just two more stops along the way, Seagate Town and the Great Johto Shelf. Exciting isn't even the half of it. I don't think I can sleep tonight. But I probably should. Goodnight!

-Samuel Oak

August 10, 1959

Dear Ash,

It took all day to get up there and back down, but it was worth it. The Great Johto Shelf. The nearby towns call it Lugia's Wrath. I'd love to tell you all about why that is, but for some really annoying reason there isn't any reliable information about its history. Picture a pie, cut out a big slice, then dig out enough filling that you can't believe the crust is still holding up. That's what the Great Shelf looks like from the side, but the size of a mountain. It was nuts. There wasn't a single Pokémon in sight, but I still drew it. I'm surprisingly bad a landscapes, at least I think so, so I hope it came out okay. And from the top, you can look straight down over the edge. I was disappointed I couldn't see underneath. I just couldn't stick my head out far enough. But I still enjoyed looking to the left and right and having the ground be a thousand feet below me. I got as far out onto the tip as I could, so I couldn't even see the ground at my feet. It felt like I was flying. I loved it. Worth every minute.

A special thing happened in during today's training. Instead of doing it where we had made camp, we decided to walk for an hour or so to a nearby inlet so that Mantine could join. He can't run laps, but there was enough water that he could build up speed and take off. I've seen Mantine do it a couple times, but it's still pretty crazy to see flat fish thing fly like that. Well, glide really. It was Benedict's first time seeing it though. He all jumped and cheered and generally made a ton of noise. The individual heads even turned to look at each other, as if to say "did you see that!?" Which is odd and funny since they share a mind. Mantine was stretching his "wings" for a while and the entire time Benedict wouldn't do a thing I asked him to. I wanted to get back to our routine, but at the time I also didn't want to discourage him.

When Mantine landed and came back to shore, Benedict became pouty and nervous. I knew what he wanted, even if he was too scared to say anything. I scooped him up and he started to shake. I asked Mantine to stay where he was and I sat down about ten feet away, letting Benedict have a look. He only looked with two heads, and they didn't get even a hair's width away from the rest, but he looked. Mantine got bored and decided to swim away eventually. I could tell Benedict was disappointed, but I told him he could get a better look another time. That got me a variety of looks, but I think it's what he really wants. Afterwards, he was more active than usual for training. He had a good day, I think.

Chris has been weird all day. He was talking to himself. He's always talking to himself, but usually about words and syllables. This was more like a private conversation, with a voice in his head. I asked him about it a couple times but all he would admit was that it had something to do with Seagate Town. I would guess it's something bad, except that he's the one who planned out where we were going on the way. If he had wanted to avoid Seagate Town, he easily could have. Maybe I'll find out tomorrow.

-Samuel Oak

August 11, 1959

Dear Ash,

Chris has a girlfriend. I'm sure of it. That's not true, but it sounds better than "Chris has a girl that he likes and can't see very often". That isn't true either, it's just what I'm guessing since he won't tell me. I did ask him about who she was, but he wouldn't answer. I wasn't making fun of him or anything, but he yelled at me and stormed out of the room. The shouting kind of scared me. I would have let it go if he just told me something. Anything. Or maybe I wouldn't, I don't know. I'm still annoyed with him, since that was only a few minutes ago.

I'll just tell you about my day instead. It was like any other adventure I have. When we crossed the bridge into Seagate Town, I think I did see something in the riverbed. But I was distracted by Chris. He was trying to sound in charge, except that he kept getting distracted by every single person we passed. He was telling me to take Kangaskhan and resupply without him. I wanted to see the sights with him, but he was annoyingly against it. He pretty much ordered me to not to come with him. So, I went shopping. Yeah, it's easier to carry stuff with Kangaskhan, but it's not like she can buy anything herself. Shopping as a team works better with people.

We got it done though. I even checked us into the hostel. The sun was just starting to set at that point. Which was perfect timing. We, Kangaskhan, Hestia, and I, ran out to see the Sea Gate. It's not really a gate in any sense, except maybe how it looks. Local history says that before the town was built, the founders designed the layout with logs that they tied together. This is where, once again, the way people think loses me. The founders wanted to map out the town directly onto the land. So they took the log map design for the town, which was over three hundred feet long and at least a hundred tall, and stuck it out in the sea. It's even more crazy than it sounds. They would gather materials by day, then as the sun set, the log design would cast a massive shadow onto the shore. They would use that shadow to tell them where to lay the foundations for buildings and streets. This place was built on shadows! The town has preserved the design guide, or the Sea Gate, ever since.

I got to see that shadow. While the sun was going down, all the shadows lined up perfectly with streets leading into town. It's a strange sight. Neat, but strange. That was the first time I saw Chris with the girl. They were walking down a road a long ways away, but I know it was him. It was also when the Shuckle started to move. I had noticed the red rocks with white rings and holes a few times earlier, but I was trying to look at the Sea Gate shadow. When I was looking at Chris in the distance, I noticed one of the rocks moving. It had scuttled under a bench. I tried to get a better look and it sprouted legs and ran off. Naturally, I ran after it. It was surprisingly quick for how it looked. Anyway, next thing I know, my face is flat on the ground. Another Shuckle had jumped on my back. It made a real effort to step everywhere on me before it followed the other one.

From the spot where I lay, I could see several other Shuckle. All running in the same direction. And if you think getting stepped on would stop me from finding out what they were up to, you don't know me very well. Hestia, Kangaskhan and I ran. Kangaskhan's faster than she looks too. The swarm of Shuckle lead us across the bridge and out into the wild. There must have been dozens of them. It was getting dark, so Hestia ran out in front. It was silly to watch, she was running forward, but she was keeping her flame to one side so it would light the way. The thing is, she usually wags it while she walks. So her trying to keep it there was making her walk funny. I thought she was going to trip more than once. She would have killed me if I laughed. We weren't going to let the Shuckle get away though. We kept up as best we could. Until they just vanished. We ran for another minute after that, but they weren't anywhere to be seen. We even looked around for tracks or something. Nothing.

We were on our way back and when Hestia leaps out at a big rock, Slashing it to pieces. Under the rock is a Shuckle shell. Before it can get away, we all grab onto it and hold on tight. It struggled, but we had it. For a second time, another Shuckle jumped on my back, nearly crushing me. That's when we discovered we were surrounded. Dark figures glared at us from every direction. My brain must have stopped working, because I just sat there being squished between a Shuckle and a hard place, still not letting go. My Pokémon always seem to think of the right thing to do first, because Hestia gently tried to remove my hand. When I figured out what was going on, I let go in the biggest show I could. The two of them retreated and the rest backed off.

Before they returned to the shadows, I asked them to stop. I'm always doing this. I always try to talk and learn about these random Pokémon I find. They weren't having it. Almost all of them left. The few that didn't, just stared at me. They spoke, like they were trying to give me a lesson. Not that I could understand. Then they left too.

Back in town, I went to find Chris to tell him all about it. I found him. He was with that same girl. They were talking about something in front of what must have been her place. I tried to go say hello, but Kangaskhan held me back. I tried to complain, but she covered my mouth. I struggled and she dragged me away! And Hestia helped her! Finally, I admitted defeat and went back to the hostel. I told the girl at the desk about the Shuckle. She told me that it's been known to happen. Sometimes there's a big rainstorm around the nearby mountains. If there's a landslide, the Shuckle will get thrown everywhere, including into new streams or the flooding rivers. Because of their shells, they can't swim well and wash all the way downstream to Seagate Town. At night, droves of them will run through town and back to the mountains to find new rocks to live under. Or they settle down under the ones here. That's just crazy, right? I really want to know more about them. I wish I could have spent some time actually trying to make friends with them. I didn't make the best impression, though. I have to try not being so in your face.

Speaking of that, when Chris got back, I wouldn't shut up. Thinking about it now, I guess he was right to be angry. I still wish he hadn't yelled. Maybe I should apologize.

Just a couple days until Olivine City. I need to get there soon, the ferry leaves the 18th and I have to do passport things. It's more complicated to travel to other regions than it was to go from Kanto to Johto. But I did have my mail forwarded there today, so hopefully it will arrive before I depart. Of course, this all means that Chris and I are going to be parting too. Which I'm just realizing now, will be really tough. But unlike Zubat, we can still write. I hope. Yeah, I think we can.

-Samuel Oak

August 14, 1959

Dear Ash,

That didn't take as long as I thought it would. Chris and I reached Olivine City before dark. Which meant that we had time to get settled at the hostel before the lighthouse was lit. Olivine City is famous for its lighthouse. The locals are very proud of it and it really is a lot of fun. But there are other lighthouses, I don't know why this one is so special. I tried to ask, but all I got was a dirty look.

That aside, what I was super excited about was seeing what powers the light, an Ampharos! A Pokémon keeps that light running all night, every night, every day of the year. I couldn't believe it. I never have, at least. Ampharos may be fully evolved and an electric type with glowing orbs, but how could it make that much light for so long. Well, I got to see him in action. And it's not at all as hard as I thought. Ampharos's tail orb gives off so much light that it can bee seen for miles. But that can also be said of a big fire. It's too bright to look at, but not enough to melt my face or anything. The lighthouse keeper said the what really makes it work, is the special glass that focuses all of Ampharos's light and makes it much brighter. That way ships can see it way out at sea even through the thick fog. Ampharos didn't like the way the keeper said that and shocked her. Just looking at him made me wonder about evolution all over again. This Ampharos was once like the Flaaffy I brought back to its farm. One day it could become this marvelous Pokémon. I'm jealous humans can't evolve like that.

Since we only just arrived and it's already kind of late, Chris and I decided to come straight back to the hostel after that. So there really isn't much to say about Olivine City so far. But on the way here, we did have some fun. Yesterday we passed by a farm. On this farm there was some Tauros. I wanted so badly to just run out into the field and start making friends with them. Chris, king of the spoilsports, stopped me by saying that the farmers wouldn't like strangers around their cattle. But I got the last laugh!

We broke for lunch next to the fence. I saw the Tauros coming, since I was watching them, but Chris was actually leaning against the fence and didn't notice a thing. It snuck up behind him and took a bite out of his bread roll. You should have seen him jump. I haven't laughed so hard in weeks. And it's been a fun couple of weeks. I bet Chris would have gone on a rampage if I hadn't ignored him and gone to pet the Tauros. Their skin and hair is so tough. It's like petting a rock covered with dull needles. Even that mane, it looks soft but I could scrub my hands clean with it. Not that any of that stopped me. It was easy to tell that he had been domesticated, I've seen Tauros in the wild and their idea of friendly is not flicking you with their tails. Or maybe it was just the ones I met. Because this Tauros was just a big softy. All he wanted was to be scratched on his forehead and chin. And to eat some of our food, of course.

Chris forbade me from trying to ride it. I wouldn't have actually done it. But I did spend some time trying to fit my arms around him. Chris gave in and joined in on the petting too. Kangaskhan didn't, I don't think she liked Tauros. I wonder what it is that makes some Pokémon not like each other? Probably the same thing that makes people not get along with some other people. But everyone likes Pokémon, so they should like each other. I liked Tauros and he liked me, so there. We did have to say goodbye though. He decided to say goodbye by trying to eat my hand. Gently of course, my hand is fine. Even if it still feels slimy.

Big day tomorrow. I have to go buy my ferry ticket and find out what forms I need to fill out for the trip to Unova. We may be at peace, but that doesn't mean I can just waltz over there. Apparently. Chris told me I should send whatever things I won't need back home. I already try to carry just the essentials, but he made the point that sending things home through the mail now will be way cheaper than doing it later. Which is a good point. I'm also going to buy a map of the Unova region so I can plan out specifically where I'm going. I already have a few places in mind, but I should figure out where I'm going, and when. Chris is going to stick around for a few days and see me off. I know he's eager to get home, but I'm grateful that he's going to stay with me a little longer. I'm sure I'll see him again though. Kind of like how I'm sure I'll meet you again, Ash.

-Samuel Oak

August 15, 1959

Dear Ash,

It was all day with that office. I can't believe the number of things I had to sign and fill out or pay for. I just want to go to another region, is that so hard? Please tell me this gets easier by your time, Ash. I had to pay for my ticket. I had to update my citizen information, or whatever it's called. I had to update my Pokémon registration forms. Then, when I was almost done, I was told that there are more forms if you have Pokéballs. There are more forms for Pokémon in Pokéballs! That's just ridiculous. I had to be examined, along with my Pokémon, which Benedict was not not happy with. I could barely keep him from attacking the examiner. I really hated doing that to him. My stuff was searched to make sure I didn't have more Pokéballs, and I'm told that will happen again before boarding. But, after several hours, both my Pokémon and I were approved for travel to Unova. As long as the paperwork goes through in time. I am so tired. And now I'm supposed to read some books about the does and don't of inter-regional travel and Unova.

Chris was there with me the whole time. He actually understood some of the strange questions they had for me. He's been a real life saver. He even took me to the library after we were done. I couldn't think of all the things I wanted to ask, so I tried to look up stuff about evolution. "It is a strange and mysterious gift that allows Pokémon to radically change their form in the span of a few seconds. Very little is known about the phenomenon." I had to ask Chris what 'phenomenon' meant. That was what most of the books had to say. There were various ideas on why it happens, including spirits, gods, and even energy from another dimension that powers the change. One theory was that they change in response to their surroundings. Evolution is also a thing for non Pokémon, but it takes generations to happen. So this one person thought that Pokémon could do it within a single lifetime. But another paper countered that by saying that most Pokémon will evolve in the same way no matter where they are. Location affecting what the Pokémon changes into is actually less common than not. Then you have to ask why it usually happens after fights, but can also happen with stones or other items, weather, and all kinds of other things. I guess they've found all sorts of ways that it can happen, but they still don't understand the how or why.

You must be so bored. Chris was. I did read like thirty books. Well, skimmed them anyway. I don't think I really found anything I was looking for, but I still liked what I found. There wasn't much time left in the day after the library. We decided to see the shops and ate at a food stand. It was a nice way to relax after staring at writing all day. Chris bought a thesaurus and I got a new sketchbook. My old one is, old. Way older than me because of that whole time thing that Celebi did. I'm going to send it back home to Pallet Town along with a few other things, like that skein of Flaaffy wool. I'll do that tomorrow. And some tourist stuff. But I really have to make sure I'm ready to go, since there isn't much time left and that boat isn't going to wait for me.

-Samuel Oak

August 16, 1959

Dear Ash,

You and Chris might think it's boring, but I like it too much not to share. Evolution is still so weird. Forget how or why, other things are strange. I read that wild Pokémon don't evolve nearly as often as trained Pokémon. So the number of second stage Pokémon are less than half of first stage ones. And third stage Pokémon are so rare that they've been hard to collect information on in their natural habitat. The kind of evolution that's really rare are ones that need stones to evolve. You know there are special rocks that can be found in just about every region, and they each have some connection to a Pokémon type. You can tell by the colors and some kind of design in the stone itself. Where do they come from? How do they have pictures in them? No one can find an answer. They think they're naturally occurring, but there's no way that makes sense to anyone. And why aren't there ones for every type, instead of just a few? Sorry, off topic. Pokémon that have evolved using a stone are almost unheard of in the wild. Probably because the stones themselves are hard to find and because each one can only be used once. I guess we were really lucky to see those Nidoqueen and Nidoking. So most of these researchers guess that there may be dozens of Pokémon that may be affected by stones or other items, that we've never seen before. There's a whole list in one paper of Pokémon and what stones have been tried on them. Eevee is the only one so far that's affected by more than one stone, but that just meant that they had to try every stone with every Pokémon they could find, even if it already evolved with another stone.

Then there's Pokémon like Dugtrio and Magneton, which look like multiple of the same Pokémon put together. Is it one Pokémon or just three that stick together, kind of like Exeggcute. Who, I might add, is somehow both separate and the same Pokémon at the same time. They've been known to adopt new heads if one is lost. But one confusing, multi-headed Pokémon at a time. There are several thoughts on Pokémon that look like more than one of a previous stage. Some think it's just what it looks like, several of them got together and stuck. Others swear and apparently have witnessed that evolution is happening and one is turning into three. It sounds stupid, but they made a great point that evolution already means that their body is changing in an unbelievable way and often becoming way bigger, so why can't they split into many versions of themselves. I couldn't find it today, but I do remember hearing or reading about a Pokémon in Hoenn that actually does stick together and become a new Pokémon. So I think both ideas work. Pokémon are weird!

Last thing, I swear. There's another way for Pokémon to evolve that isn't seen often in the wild. In fact, while wild versions of these Pokémon have been found, no one has actually seen them evolve without trainers. I only found one book that that talked about this, they called it "trade evolution" because it only ever seems to happen when people trade their Pokémon. Of course it doesn't happen right away, it's not like they evolve right when the trainers trade registration forms or refile them. It seems to happen within a few days of the trainers and Pokémon parting ways. The author noticed that whether the Pokémon did or did not like its old trainer or even its new trainer, they all went into some kind of depression. He called it a "symbiotic withdrawal". It happens in Pokémon that don't have trade evolutions too, but for these specific Pokémon it's more intense. He thinks that there's a mind or emotional element, where the Pokémon wants to remake itself, to be something new for their new trainer. His guess was that in the wild, this kind of evolution only happens when the Pokémon has to leave its family or home, which causes the stress that makes the evolution happen. And that's why they're so rare outside of trainers, wild Pokémon don't leave their families as often as people trade. Can you imagine being so sad, that you completely changed who you were? Or at least your body? I don't even like to think about it.

Okay, Ash, I did do other things today. Chris wanted to go to the beach, or Mantine wanted to go to the beach. So we all went. I still smell like salt and I took a bath afterwards. Mantine spent half the time gliding around in the air and the other half with us while we played in the water. Chris and I had a race, which Hestia refereed. Chris won, of course. And he wasn't shy about rubbing it in. Hestia stayed out of the water, she's got that whole fire type thing that means water might as well be acid. But she still drinks, so I wonder how that works? Now I have to look that up. Still, she had fun too. We buried her and Chris drew her big wings in the sand. Hestia roared and shook pretending to be a Charizard.

Even Benedict had a good time. He's been pretty brave lately. He let Hestia bring him for a walk down the shore line. I had my eye on them, but they managed all on their own. He spent most of his time outside with me, though. He was in my arms and cautiously telling me where to go so he could get a better look at stuff. At one point, we went out onto a peer and looked at the Pokémon in the water. You should have seen his faces when we spotted those Corsola. Big pink rocks with faces and gray, green spikes. Dozens of them. I've heard that they don't move much, so we must have caught them at just the right time, since they were all walking along the seafloor together. Maybe they migrate. When I told Chris about it, he said that they sometimes move in large numbers like that, usually when the water they live in becomes dirtier, like during the summer. That's why their spikes were strange colors. Chemicals from the city and litter from beach goers pollutes the water, which hurt the Corsola. But he told me not to worry, they will shed those spikes once they get to cleaner waters.

After the Beach was the library, at least for me. Chris wanted to do other stuff. I suppose I should have gone with him. The stuff I found was cool, but Chris will be going home soon and I won't see him for a while. Maybe years. I'll make sure to spend tomorrow with him. But we did meet up for dinner. Chris got a cheesecake, which is a Unovan or Kalosan sweet. Not for his dessert, but for his dinner. His excuse was that once he gets back to Cianwood City, his parents won't let him do stuff like have dessert for dinner. I can't really argue with that. But I had a proper meal of rice noodles. My dad would be very proud. Then I tried the cheesecake, it was awesome. You don't get a lot of sweets on the road. I think Chris may have had the right idea.

We stopped at the post office too. I sent out my stuff, including my sketchbook. Which had its last addition today in the form of the colony of Corsola. And I was told I'll have to set up a new hold box for my mail once I get to Unova. So, if my mail makes it here tomorrow, I can cancel the one I have for Johto. I hope my mail comes by tomorrow. It's the only day I have left. But there is a lot I want to do tomorrow. I should probably sleep, then. Goodnight, Ash.

-Samuel Oak

August 17, 1959

Dear Ash,

Today was actually really relaxing. Chris and I spent the whole day together. All we did was take in the city and talk. I like adventures, but this was nice too. I guess we always had time to talk on the road, but somehow the conversation still felt fresh and new. While I got to play with baby Kangaskhan, Chris told me about his family and the friends he had before leaving. One of them actually returned before him, so he's looking forward to swapping stories. It's funny, Chris said he wished he had thought to write a journal like mine so he could remember everything. This really is more of a journal than anything, isn't it? Sometimes I think of it as one really long letter to a friend. And other times it feels like I'm talking to myself, in a good way. I told Chris he could never keep one. He's against the idea of writing down his poetry, there's no way he could keep a record of everything that happens everyday. Then we played that word game, and I let him win as a going away present.

We went to the beach again. Now, this was cool, but I wouldn't call it an adventure. We went out for a swim, Chris really likes the water, and spent some time with Mantine. He somehow lead over a Magikarp to where we were. It swam around us a few times and I got a chance to pet it. It was solid, like a rock. But with a smooth texture, you know? Then it swam away faster than it had come. I was smiling like an idiot according to Chris. He thinks there are too many Magikarp to get excited about seeing one. But he's wrong, you can't have too many of a Pokémon.

My mail came, just in time. I had eight letters, but most of those were from mom and dad. I wish I heard more from my brothers and friends, but at least this way I don't have to write as many replies. In my letter to mom I was sure to tell her all about the Basin Forest and our encounter with a real wild boar. And I told dad about the bring Sudowoodo down sport, which I think he would have enjoyed seeing. I included everything about Zubat and Chris that I could fit in there. Honestly the letter is about four pages long. I hope they like it, I won't be sending another for a good while.

My dad's Charizard is a parent again, but the mother was an Arbok, so no Charmander for any of the local kids. Dad's worried that Charizard won't be able to keep breeding. He's been around for so long and everyone in town loves him, but he's started to slow down. Dad says he only flies for a few minutes a day, even though Charizard used to fly for hours when I was little. Even Pokémon get old, I guess. My brother said dad's getting old, too. Dad now has four pairs of reading glasses, one for the bedroom, living room, the kitchen, and one for on the go. And he's lost all of them, in the same day. Mom's upset because those things aren't cheap. Just reading their letters makes me miss home. I really want to visit them and hear their voices and have dinner. But I'm leaving for Unova tomorrow and I won't see them for a long time. Which just makes me miss them more.

Speaking of Unova, I was thinking of buying some new clothes, since mine are getting worn out, but I decided to get them there. I'll have Unovan clothes for my Unovan journey. I decided to get a travel guide along with my map of the region. Not a thick guide of course, I plan on asking the locals where the best places to go are once I get there. But it will be nice to think about while I'm on the boat. The trip is going to be a few weeks. Not only are there several stops along the way, but it's also typhoon season. I probably could have gone on a more direct line back when I was in Vermillion City early last year, but I wanted to go to Johto first. Which I don't regret, at all. I'm actually looking forward to the trip. I haven't gotten to spend a lot of time around wild water type Pokémon. I better not use up my whole new sketchbook on just one type.

I should stop there. My hand is sore and I should get to bed. The ship isn't leaving until tomorrow afternoon, but I want to be up early. Goodnight, Ash.

-Samuel Oak


	8. August 18-September 13

August 18, 1959

Dear Ash,

Today, we take to the sea. And the sea doesn't like me. I've thrown up three times since I boarded. But I'm in my cabin right now, and I think that's helping. I was also told not to eat anything solid for a while. It would be great advice if I felt like eating anything. I hope I can get used to it. I really don't want to spend three weeks on this bed or in the bathroom. The water was pretty. The way it almost shined in the distance, but was dark and endless up close when I looked over the edge. I'll tell you more about it another time. Best not to think about it.

Chris and I said goodbye today, too. Obviously, we both knew it was coming, but it was still kind of hard. He walked us to the pier and he gave Hestia a V for victory. I held baby Kangaskhan and mom gave me a lick on the head. Maybe it was a grooming thing. Chris and Hestia laughed. The most special moment though, was with Benedict. I knew he was still afraid of them, but I thought he should at least get the chance to say goodbye and not just come out of his Pokéball tonight and find out they're gone. He shied away from Kangaskhan, which I expected.

He was brave enough for me to hold him over the edge of the dock and get right up into Mantine's face. I couldn't hold onto six heads at once with him moving around so much and two of him fell into the water. I had a heart attack, but before I learned whether seeds sink or float, Mantine was able to lift them out of the water, using his tail to hold them in place. I panicked and couldn't figure out how to pick them back up with my hands still full. I had to set four heads down on the pier and go back for the other two. After I could breathe again, Chris pointed out that Benedict wasn't as scared as I was. In fact, his two wet heads were smiling. All of them were shaking a bit, but those two were definitely smiling.

And the biggest moment, at least to me, was when Chris said goodbye to Benedict. He reached out, and rubbed each of them on their little heads. They were in my arms, so I could feel how nervous they were, but they let him. Chris was great, he didn't try anything more than that and told them to be safe.

Then I got on the ship. That was it. My friend and companion for the past few weeks waved goodbye from the dock and I did the same from the deck. I'm definitely feeling a little alone right now. It doesn't help that Hestia isn't allowed out of her Pokéball below deck. She's a fire hazard. I argued that there's water everywhere, but then the crewman said that if her fire damages the hull we could sink. That was a good point and I shut up. So, since I've been sick and indoors, Hestia hasn't gotten to look around at all. Maybe tomorrow.

The crew seem nice, even if they don't talk to the passengers a lot. Or maybe that was just me. But the other passengers were jerks. None of them have ever been seasick before, apparently. More than one of them were making fun of me. And one of the men I'm sharing my room with was complaining about how he had to be stuck with some kid. Right now, I just don't feel good. But hopefully that will pass when I stop wanting to throw up.

-Samuel Oak

August 19, 1959

Dear Ash,

I ate breakfast and dinner and I only threw up twice. I felt awful, but I think it was better than yesterday. I even managed to stay up on deck for a little while. Hestia got to look around. I was better off just staying put. For the first time in months, I felt like I was the one stopping Benedict from wandering around everywhere. He was curious, but still too skittish to walk away from me. It's progress, I think. I don't think I have to say that we didn't train today. It would have felt weird not to, if I stomach hadn't been trying to liquify my brains. Seasickness does crazy things to your head.

The fresh air was refreshing though. I never noticed how stuffy a room could get in just a few hours. Again, maybe that's just the seasickness talking. One of the crew told me I should look out at the horizon to help settle my stomach. It helped, but not enough to stop me from wanting to throw up. I have to choose between less sick outside with nowhere to go, or more sick inside but I can be next to the toilet. Is there a better option?

When I was outside, Hestia tried to show me something. I didn't dare go over to the edge, but another passenger said there was a school of Magikarp near the ship. Benedict wanted to see it too, but I couldn't even walk all the way over there to let him. Maybe when I'm more used to this, and if we see anymore Magikarp, I'll give him a better look. But for now, sleep. Or what passes for sleep.

-Samuel Oak

August 21, 1959

Dear Ash,

I am so bored. How can I be bored at the same time that I feel hungover? My bunkmate says this is what a hangover feels like. I may never drink. But I'm still bored, I can feel every passing second. Really, today was better than yesterday. All I remember is lying in bed or lying on the bathroom floor. And there isn't a lot of floor in there, even for me. But today, I got out of my room and outside again. And I only threw up once.

Normally I would tell you how beautiful the sea is, but I can't. I spent a lot of my time topside wondering how long would Hestia have to use Flamethrower to burn down the ocean. I know, water evaporates. But saying "burn down" makes me feel better. I was in luck, I got to see more Magikarp. Okay, I didn't see them myself, but I was told they were there. Next time I hope Benedict can see them. Benedict and Hestia got out too, but not for long. I'll make it up to them. We're supposed to be making port on an island the day after tomorrow, I'll take them out then. If I live that long.

-Samuel Oak

August 23, 1959

Dear Ash,

Land, wonderful land! I got off the ship and spent the whole day on Mortu Island. The seasickness didn't go away for a couple hours, but it was way better even before then. There were benches near the beach and I pretty much took a nap on one. No rising and falling, no shaking legs, no spinning sensation. It was amazing. I let out Hestia and Benedict and they were so happy to have some free time outside. More so for Hestia, Benedict still isn't ready to stay out for too long. He looked around from the bench, at least.

Hestia and I took a walk around the city. We ate at an outdoor restaurant, where they cook everything in the open, next to the ocean. Grilled fish and local fruits. I wanted to eat everything, but my stomach wasn't going to have it. Probably a good thing, since I'm back aboard now and I'm dizzy again. I haven't thrown up yet, though. I can thank some seasickness pills I got at the general store for that. I guess I'm not the only person in the world with that issue. I'm just the only one on the ship. Back to the food, Hestia took huge bites, and I was afraid she might choke. I made sure those two were fed while we were at sea, but maybe I didn't get them enough. Or maybe the food was just that good. I can still smell it, it's the kind of smell that makes your whole head tingle and you're ready to run a mile just for a bite. I want more, now.

This island is apparently known for its ghost type Pokémon. The island wasn't settled by people until a couple hundred years ago. Before that, ships were always crashing into rocks on the coast. They say that all those people dying is why there are so many ghosts and ghost type Pokémon. So naturally, I didn't go anywhere alone or outside the city. I don't care if it's just something to bring in tourists or whatever, I am not going to meet a ghost. Period. But the joke's on me. Every gift shop and attraction on the island has to do with ghosts and spirits and psychics and I just can't take it. I'm finally back on land and I still can't relax. Not if I want to go anywhere besides the beach, that is. If it's a choice between the sea and ghosts, I'll take the beach. I spent almost the whole day there. And I'll spend whatever time I have tomorrow before we leave there, too. I saw some Tentacool and Magikarp. I heard about a local Pokémon called a Frillish, which is a ghost jellyfish. I wish I could have seen one, but they supposedly live further away from shore. Out where all the shipwrecks happened. On the other hand, I don't think I need to see any Frillish.

The voyage continues tomorrow. But without as much trouble, I hope.

-Samuel Oak

August 24, 1959

Dear Ash,

Zero, that's the number of times I threw up today. I went out onto the deck, I explored the ship a bit, and I only went to the bathroom to go to the bathroom. I didn't stare over the edge or anything crazy like that, but compared to before I might as well have crossed an entire region with how much walking I did. And I had more than one meal. Again, I didn't fill up, but I ate. Some of the others in the dining area still made fun of me for it, though. Maybe I won't end up eating with the passengers every day. I would like to actually enjoy the rest of the trip.

But that brings me to a bit of a problem, training. It's been days since we, okay I, was able to do anything active. Now that I'm feeling better, I wanted to start up again. But there are so many people around, especially on deck. And that's the only place with enough space. Not to mention Hestia isn't allowed inside. Whenever I was in town or something, I could always find a park or go just out of town. There's nowhere to go here. More importantly, there are no logs or objects to attack. I tried to tell Hestia to use an attack and I got yelled at by a crewman. No Pokémon moves or battles or anything on the ship, ever. Okay, looking back, that makes sense. You don't want to break the ship. But he yelled at me in front of everyone. Now I feel like I'm the loser kid who gets seasick and the stupid child who doesn't know how to behave. I thought I would like the ocean, but it's just one thing after another out here. Usually I could get away just by walking out of town. But this trip still has more than two weeks to go.

I did meet some nice passengers, at least. An elderly couple who are moving in with their son in Unova. There was this one lady who is actually getting off at one of our stopovers. There are a couple who just boarded at Mortu Island. But there doesn't seem to be very many trainers. Traveling by ship with Pokémon is troublesome, especially when going between regions. Not being able to afford a Pokéball means they take some up the limited space there is onboard. I guess most people just decided to leave their Pokémon behind and come back for them later. Or have them sent a different way? I don't get how so many people can do that. It just makes me think of all the Pokémon going through "symbiotic withdrawal", that thing they said causes trade evolutions. It really bothers me. But there are Pokémon. There's this space in the cargo hold for large, or dangerous typed, Pokémon. I was going to go see them, but then the thing during training happened. Maybe tomorrow.

-Samuel Oak

August 25, 1959

Dear Ash,

Vomit report, zero. I did rush to the bathroom when I thought I was going to throw up, but I didn't. You must really be getting annoyed with me for always bringing that up. Well, I have good news.

I made a friend. She's a trainer who just boarded at Mortu Island. She's about twice my age, she specializes in ghost and poison type Pokémon, and her name is Agatha. She's also from Kanto originally, but she stayed on Mortu Island because of all the ghosts. And just thinking about it creeps me the heck out. She went deep into the unpopulated areas of the island to live among the ghosts. And to learn about how ghost type Pokémon live. Get it, 'live'? That was her joke. Agatha wanted to experience how they acted in the wild. Ghost types aren't very common, except around graveyards and populated areas. Hoping to see them without human influence was what made her stay.

Honestly, Agatha freaks me out. All of her jokes about death and spirits make me want to crawl into a hole, but one where there's a lot of sunlight and spirit tags and wards and stuff. But she is the first friend I've made onboard, and it's nice to have a friendly person to talk to. Even if her new favorite pastime is scaring me. That's not me exaggerating, she actually said she was going to enjoy torturing me for the next couple weeks.

She has good qualities too, though. I actually tried to do the exercise part of my training again today. I was really nervous and awkward at first, until she asked if she and her Pokémon could join in. That's how we met. I felt better thinking I would have someone to train with again, and then she let out a Ghastly and an Ekans. I would have fainted if Benedict didn't screech with terror. I put him back into his ball as fast as I could. Agatha might seem mean from what I've told you so far, but she isn't. When I told her what happened to Benedict and how he reacted to seeing those Ekans eating that Aipom, she apologized for frightening him. She gets what it's like to be afraid and how every little thing can remind you of that fear. Agatha really is a nice person. I think.

We did some exercises, but she wanted to do more. I told her that battles of any kind weren't allowed on the ship. Then, Agatha said that if they don't use moves, it wouldn't be a battle. I didn't want to, but she kind of made me. Hestia and Ghastly were at it for less than five minutes, when a crewman yelled at us. And she argued with him. And then she demanded to see the captain. And then she argued with him! In the end, he agreed to let us have our Pokémon just run around and at each other while following our commands, not make any contact, or use any moves, if we had constant supervision, and agreed to stop when told to, then we could do it. There are going to have to be three crewman with us every time we want to train, but we can 'battle'. Agatha's scary.

Thankfully, Agatha agree to spend the rest of the day being more relaxed. We talked and I drew her Ekans while Ghastly flew through walls. I heard screaming. And a lot disturbing laughter. That's when we talked about where we came from and why we were going to Unova. Unlike me, Agatha's a real trainer. She wants to master ghost and poison type Pokémon and become a Pokémon master. She spent more than a year studying at the gym in Ecruteak City, which specializes in ghost types. And almost two years at the Fuchsia gym, which has poison types. I already said why she was on Mortu Island. Next is to discover new Pokémon in Unova. Along the way she wants to battle as many strong trainers as she can. I kind of feel small and weak when I think about how focused she is. Agatha knows exactly what she likes and what she's going to do with her life. She even has a plan to go back to Kanto someday, beat every gym leader there is, and win the Kanto League tournament. Just like you Ash. An older, creepier, you. I told her about what I was doing and that I still don't know what my goal really is. I couldn't tell if "well, death isn't going to wait for you!" was supposed to be encouraging or just freak me out more. No one can like death and ghost jokes this much, I think she's doing it to mess with me. At least I have a friend though.

Dinner was different, since we sat alone and talked more. After dark we stayed up on deck and looked out at the ocean. Agatha did, more than me. I still don't think I should look at it for too long. But the stars out here are amazing. Oh, and there were Magikarp again. Maybe Chris was right when he said there were a lot of them. Agatha called them a waste of space and that removing even half of them from the ocean would lower the shoreline by ten feet. Magikarp are very unpopular it would seem. Still, the rest of the night was nice. I hope tomorrow goes just as well. Maybe less scary though.

-Samuel Oak

August 26, 1959

Dear Ash,

To start with, I'd like to say that training went well. Hestia and Ekans had a tough time holding back so much, and we were told to calm them down a few times. Running and dodging really aren't what makes for interesting battles. Agatha agreed, but then she added that they are essential parts of a good battle. Pokémon don't just stand there and wait to get hit, they move around. Both trainer and Pokémon should know how to read those movements and counter them. It's a good way to look at it, I guess. Benedict did a little work out, with Ekans safely put away, of course. Somehow, he trusts Agatha more than I thought he would. She went for a gung-ho, 'we'll take on the world' attitude, which he responded to. He's never had much of a fighting spirit, but Agatha's given him one. Tomorrow we're going to see how he works with Ghastly.

Now that that's out of the way, I can get to my favorite part of the day. There was this trainer, up on the deck. She had a Koffing with her. Koffing was, well, deflated I guess. I've never seen a Koffing land and become less balloon like, so deflated is the best way to describe it. Agatha and I were worried and we asked the trainer what was happening. She said Koffing hadn't been eating and had been floating low for a few days. Now she couldn't hold herself up. Agatha has lots of experience with poison Pokémon, and with Koffing in particular. I could smell Koffing from five feet away and it made my eyes water, but Agatha went right in there and gave it a look over. She even pulled open its holes to look inside. I didn't even know you could do that. The two of them explained that Koffing might look like a rock with holes, but it's really more of a balloon made of skin and muscle and other tissues. They eat garbage, which it can digest and make into lighter than air gas and that's how they float. And it holds the gas in by closing its pores, making Koffing look all puffed out. They can also open the pores to release pressure and to move around however they want to in the air.

I know, it seems like I'm just going on again about weird Pokémon facts. But this time it's important. She was checking the holes for sores or rashes or anything that might make it so Koffing would have a hard time holding its gas in. When that didn't work out, she checked Koffing's mouth. Agatha said that it may be that because Koffing hadn't been eating enough, she couldn't create its gas, and couldn't float. Sure enough, there was something stuck in Koffing's gums and it had caused some swelling. Agatha was about to reach in and pull it out, when I stopped her. I remembered something like this from when I was helping take care of baby Kangaskhan. Chris had said to use cold salt water to numb and clean her mouth. I told Agatha and the trainer lady the same thing and they agreed. The woman asked the kitchen if they could boil some saltwater from the ocean and then leave it in the fridge for a while. It took longer than any of us wanted to wait, but it was safer that way. Eventually we had Koffing rinse out it's mouth and Agatha went in and pulled the thing out. And just to be sure, I suggested another few rinses. The lady, I should say Mary I guess, said it would have to be softer garbage for a few days. But she thinks Koffing will be fine. She certainly looked more relaxed, even if she still couldn't float.

It made me feel really good to help. I know I didn't do much of anything, and all I did do was say "we should be kind of clean about it". But we saw a Pokémon in need and we made it feel better. Any day that I can say that sounds like a good day to me. I'm going to check on them tomorrow. Oh, and I'm going to get a sketch of Koffing. Would it be weird to get one before and after she reinflated?

Other stuff we did today include looking out at the ocean, it's the same as yesterday. We did not throw up. We also had dinner alone together again. And we went down into the Pokémon space in the cargo hold. I thought it would be bigger, but they only have about thirty square feet. There's barely enough room for big Pokémon. Someone said that there was a height, size, and weight limit on this type of ship. If you have a bigger Pokémon, you had to leave on a different one, probably from a different port altogether. And since there were more than ten Pokémon too big to stay in the cabins with their trainers, it felt cramped. We didn't stick around, because having us in there with the trainers and their Pokémon, there just wasn't the space. But before we left, I noticed a Muk. I've never seen a Muk in person before, only a Grimer, but I think there was something off about it. It didn't look right. I didn't see a trainer with it, so I couldn't ask, and Agatha didn't get a good look. I only bring it up, because it was just strange. Disturbing, maybe. I'll have to find out another time.

But that was my day. It was nice to talk to Agatha about Pokémon care. I hope she can teach me all about poison types. Ghost types too, but I'm afraid that might lead back to real ghosts, and I don't want that. I'm at least enjoying the sea more. Thank goodness.

-Samuel Oak

August 27, 1959

Dear Ash,

I don't have much to say today, Ash. I'm not feeling well, so I want to keep this short. Training was fine. The ocean is the same. Saw Magikarp again. Chatted with Agatha for a while. But she wanted to spend some time alone or something. I get bored here on the ship and I wanted someone to talk to, and I thought she would feel the same. But she was very clear she wanted to be away from me. Did I do something wrong? She was fine at dinner, when we ate together. We ate at a table with other people too, and she was talking to them mostly. I talked to them a little, but I'm still kind of embarrassed about being the seasick kid. Usually I like to talk to lots of people, but right now it feels like Agatha is my only friend. I just feel like crap. Maybe that's the vomiting.

I found Mary, the woman with the Koffing. I wanted to get a sketch of Koffing, but she told me not today. I'll try again tomorrow.

But first I need to sleep. Hopefully lying down will stop my stomach from hurting so much.

-Samuel Oak

August 30, 1959

Dear Ash,

We're back on land. If you can really call it that. The port town was built almost entirely on the shallows. The water is less than three feet deep for like half a mile before the actual shoreline. The tree don't seem to mind, since they grow up between or even through the floating docks. I, on the other hand, do mind. Even after getting off the ship, I had to walk the whole way to shore before I stopped feeling like I was still at sea. The problem with that is that there are fewer things to do out there. All the shops and sights and food stands are on the water, floating like boats that never go anywhere.

I explored what there was of the town there and even went outside of the townline for a while. I was expecting to see lots of wild Pokémon, new and unusual ones. But it was just plants and animals. Butterflies and other bugs. And loads of birds. Really, that was more surprising than any Pokémon. I have seen normal bugs and birds all the time during my travels, but never this many in one place. And with almost no Pokémon, just one or two flying types, how is that even possible? To have so few Pokémon? And why, if there are so many animals on this island, why aren't there just as many in the mountains and lakes, away from all the people on the mainland? Am I overthinking this? Maybe I just never noticed all the animals because there were Pokémon to look at.

Agatha and I met up on shore. She's still been trying to spend time alone on the ship. But she still trains and talks with me for a little while. If she likes spending time with me, then why doesn't she want to spend more time together? Is this of those things that men are always complaining about? I just don't understand. Anyway, when we met up Agatha asked for a battle. A real on, this time. Since there was a space set aside for Pokémon battles where we wouldn't sink a ship. She was clearly excited, and I knew Hestia was eager too. Hestia's been trying to work on her form and movement, trying to get them just right, even when Agatha and her Pokémon aren't around to compete with. I accepted Agatha's challenge. It was one v. one, Ekans versus Hestia. And it was great! All that practice at moving and dodging is working. At first they couldn't hit each other, even with the attacks that hit from a distance. But that went away, as we fell back into using moves. Being able to guess how moves will happen and where, is different than just trying to hit each other. Agatha won, but we made her work for it. Hestia is her own biggest critic, and mine. I don't think I'm going to get out of extra training for a while. Neither will Ekans.

We, Agatha and I, decided to try something new with Benedict the other day. We introduced him to Ghastly. Ghastly was very good about approaching slowly and being friendly towards him. Which I know is different from Ghastly's normal behavior, so the fact that it's working is almost surprising. Benedict has warmed up to Ghastly, at least enough to not mind training with him nearby. The hope is to have them do the same kind of dodge and tackle training that Hestia is doing with Ekans and Ghastly. Maybe, we can even get Benedict to look at Ekans. I know that would take a while and I don't want to terrify him, but I think it would be a huge step forward for him.

Otherwise the past few days have just been more of the same. We passed through a small rainstorm the other day, and I wasn't having any of it. But that only lasted for a couple hours. Or a couple days if you were me. I tried to get that sketch of Koffing, but Mary keeps saying no. And she's become a lot meaner about it. I'm not trying to be rude, I just want a picture. I did want one of before she was recovered so I could remember that better, and to show what a sick Pokémon might look like. Maybe that was kind of rude, but now that she's better, I don't understand why Mary won't let me. I'll wait a couple days and maybe she'll cool down. I hope she does.

-Samuel Oak

August 31, 1959

Dear Ash,

I found out why I thought that Muk looked strange. It wasn't my imagination. The left side of his body is definitely lower than his right. I always thought of Muk as living sludge, which it mostly is. His trainer, Jason, told me that what looks and acts like sludge, is its own kind of tissue that can be shifted, reorganize, and serves many bodily functions. Which doesn't fit with anything I know about how bodies work, but then again, neither does Muk or a lot of Pokémon. According to Jason, there are more permanent and solid parts buried inside of Muk. Soft and bendable, but more solid than sludge.

And that's where his Muk's appearance comes from. Pokémon moves have some sort of specialness to them, they hardly ever do real, lasting damage. But they can. And man made weapons definitely can. Jason and Muk are veterans from the war. Back when Muk was just a Grimer, he was hit by something that crushed his internal structure. He was permanently deformed. Jason had hoped that it would go away when he evolved. He trained for years to get Grimer moving again. Years getting him to be able to live like a normal Pokémon. Even had him go into fights when he could. A few months ago, he finally evolved. The damage didn't go away, though. Muk is healthier and more lively than he has been since the accident. Accident, that's a strange word to use for something that someone did to hurt someone else, but it's the only word I can think of. Anyway, the evolution changed his body and reorganized and grew his insides. But there was too much already gone. He's better, but he still sags on his left.

Jason was happy for Muk, but he said he couldn't stay where they were. That's why they're moving to Unova, to start over. To try and forget about the war. But this trip has been hard on Muk. He has to stay inside a special tub so his sludge won't hurt the ship. And his odor in such a small space makes the other Pokémon and trainers treat him badly. It's one awful situation after another, Jason says. His body was hard to look at up close. And he really does smell, which does not help with my seasickness. But I don't care. Every Pokémon deserves to be loved and feel happy. I stayed and made friends with Jason and Muk. Jason gave me special gloves so I could pet Muk safely. That experience will stick with me. And I'll make sure it will, because I'm going back tomorrow. Muk is my friend now, and I want to make sure he knows it.

Speaking of friends, Benedict and Ghastly are getting along. They ran laps this morning and did side steps. Okay, neither of them side step. Ghastly floats from side to side and Benedict's heads jump back and forth. Benedict did a good job, even though I could tell he was shaken up having Ghastly so close. Agatha said we should make time for them to just sit together and relax. Benedict could only handle it for about two minutes. I'll try to get him to wait longer tomorrow.

I saw more than just Magikarp! I braved a look over the edge and I saw a new Pokémon. It was big and pink and looked like a sideways heart with fins. A crewman called it an Alomomola. It's a sign that we're getting close to Unova. Unfortunately for me, that was all she knew about them. I tried asking around, all anyone knew was that their known for being kind and helpful and they're a water type. No help there. It did stick around long enough for me to get a good look and get most of a drawing done. Hopefully, someone on the next island will know more. We should get there the day after tomorrow. My stomach can't wait.

-Samuel Oak

September 4, 1959

Dear Ash,

Just want to check in. I'm tired and feeling like crap. I'm also somehow bored, which I shouldn't be, given what's been happening. It's been rough. We ran into a typhoon a few days ago. The ship was rocking back and forth and I thought we might flip over and sink. No amount of medication could save me from that amount of shaking. I lost count of how many times I threw up. Thank goodness my roommates were willing to get me water and take care of Hestia and Benedict. I couldn't feel my hands. Seriously, my body went numb and I thought my brain would leak out my ears.

The ship made it to a harbor, it was somewhere off course, but they found one. They were able to anchor the ship so it wouldn't go anywhere and everyone evacuated. I had to be carried out, I think. When I woke up we were in some kind of storage building or storm bunker. It was still raining, it is still raining really. We haven't left. My roomates grabbed my bag when we got off the ship, in fact everyone has their stuff. That means they really were worried about the ship sinking. I hope all the Pokémon in the hold got out alright. I haven't seen Jason or Muk yet, but I haven't moved very far.

I guess Benedict has been taking care of me, too. My roommate said that when he let Benedict and Hestia out to eat, Benedict saw that I was sick and refused to leave my side. Even when Hestia tried to make him. Hestia had to go back into her Pokéball, she was still a fire hazard even in a storm. But Benedict wanted to keep watch over me. He hasn't gone back into his ball since. I'm sure it's been more than a day. That's the longest he's stayed out in months. And I'm pretty sure he hasn't slept, not all of his heads at once, at least. He doesn't really know how to take care of me though, I haven't been able to eat anything and he can't exactly carry water. So mostly, I think he's been staying as close as possible. Which is a comfort. And it means a lot to me to know that even though he must be terrified, he's being brave for my sake. Maybe I dreamed it, but swear that while I was trying to sleep that I saw him spread out his heads and give the stink eye to one of the other Pokémon. It's like he was standing guard.

Hestia's with us now. She was worried too, I guess. The two of them are working together now. I'm proud of them. No one has said anything about having a fire type inside with all this stuff. Probably because she's a good heater. Agatha found us, she actually knows how to care for a sick person. But I'm still not feeling well. I feel less sick since we're off the ship, and Agatha says once I eat something I should recover. I don't want to eat just yet, though. Water is enough for now. And sleep. I'm going to go back to sleep.

-Samuel Oak

September 6, 1959

Dear Ash,

We're back out at sea. The ship wasn't broken, not in any way that we couldn't continue. We do have a schedule to keep. There are still broken branches everywhere though. All of the floors are still damp too. Last night, everyone slept right on the mats, with no sheets or pillows. They were all soaked and were left out to dry on the deck. Mine's dry now, but it stinks a bit. Everyone is safe, which is the important part. But about that schedule, we had to go off course to find harbor, and the storm itself slowed us down a little. We're about two days behind, they tell us. Not a big deal for me, but some of the passengers weren't very happy.

Benedict is doing great. He still sticks to me like glue, but he is out. I think during the storm he realized how to deal with the outside world. Or maybe just that he could deal with it. He's still really nervous and he looks in every direction at once. He also won't go near any other Pokémon, or people for that matter, without making sure that I can see him. There have been a couple of times where he's been spooked by something and demanded to go back into his ball. However, I have now walked the entire ship more than three times, thanks to Benedict. The parts we were aloud into, that is. It's nice to have him back. Benedict might not be all of his old self, but there's a lot more of him there.

Ghastly and Benedict are getting along, too. Agatha was actually the one who ended their time together today, not Benedict. Tomorrow, we're thinking of doing the dodge and run battle training. I don't think he's ready for it, but Agatha wants to try. If he doesn't like it, I'm pulling him out right away. I can't push him too fast.

Benedict loves Muk, by the way. They met yesterday. He screamed with all of his mouths at first, and I was going to put him away, when Muk shied away and yelled something back at him. There was some kind of shouting match until they both went quiet. Ever since then, the two have been really close, I can't explain it. Jason said Muk seems happier, and Benedict is definitely more at ease around him. I don't understand, but I'm okay with it.

The Captain asked for volunteers to help clean up the ship. The crew has their usual duties, so some of the passengers are lending a hand. It's not like we have much else to do. Agatha and I worked together to get all the water and other stuff out of a few of the storage rooms. We had to carry anything that the water had touched outside, and make sure it wasn't ruined. Then we cleared all the puddles with rags and buckets. I thought of it as an adventure, but Agatha complained about doing chores and why did she let me talk her into this. We got to talking, she explained her love of battle. It's the spirit and the drive to overcome someone else. It's the need to be the best that you can be and see your Pokémon stand over another. That feeling of being one with their attacks. That moment where you see the opening that will lead you to victory. Or so she says. I admit I've been enjoying the idea of battles more recently, but I still don't get what she's trying to say. I bet Hestia would have, if she had been there. Maybe those two should be the ones to sit down and have a good long chat. Maybe tomorrow.

-Samuel Oak

September 8, 1959

Dear Ash,

Today was incredible, which makes up for how crappy I felt yesterday. I'll start there and get to the good stuff later. I went to see Mary again. I thought that since it had been days since I had asked, and even days since I had seen her, that she would be open to a drawing. She yelled at me. She said I had no right to harass her like this and that if I spoke to her again she would tell the captain and have me thrown off the ship. I still don't understand why she was so upset. Why is it such a problem for me to want to draw Koffing? If Koffing is shy or nervous or if Mary is self conscious about Koffing, shouldn't she just say so? Why would she threaten to have me thrown out? I was really upset, and it reminded me how alone I feel on the ship. I have friends and I'm surrounded by people, but I feel like the troubled child. I've never been the troubled child. I was the good one. I miss being able to walk away and go to another part of town. I miss how I would only stay in a town a few days and I would leave before anyone got angry at me. Is this the reason why Agatha doesn't want to hang out with me for very long? I don't like it here.

That was yesterday, though. I admit that I woke up not wanting to be around anyone on the ship. Lucky for me, today was our last island pit stop. We are currently docked at Qohnqei. Qohnqei is beautiful, but it's also hard to miss all the destruction. Before Unova decided to drop out of the wars that just kept happening, this was one of the islands between Unova and Kanto or Johto. Qohnqei was attacked and traded back and forth between those three and Sinnoh. You can see it in the ruins of of old buildings and there's graffiti rejecting the rule of each of the regions. Agatha pointed out that several of the buildings were made in distinct styles, probably because they were built during one rule or another. I feel kind of guilty about all of it, even though I personally didn't have anything to do with the wars.  
On the other hand, all of the people are really nice. And there was a lot to do. Qohnqei has ruins, of ancient temples that is, and forests and dozens of flying type Pokémon. There were these two I saw, that were chirping at each other across a small field. One was pink and had a feather skirt, and the other was purple and it waved its wings around like fans. I got to sketch the pink one before Agatha joined me, saw them, and decided to try to battle them. They both flew off. She didn't seem guilty at all about it. My first time seeing this new Pokémon, and she goes and ruins it. I might still be mad at her if she hadn't bought me lunch after our battle.

So, the Pokémon, they weren't actually two different ones. They were different kinds of the same Pokémon. It's something I've heard of, but it doesn't happen in Kanto that much. Some Pokémon of the same species will look entirely different for whatever reason. The only example I can think of is Nidoran, and how they're different because of gender and they'll evolve differently, even though they're supposed to be the same. The Pokémon I saw were Oricorio. Not only do they have different looks, but Oricorio can have different types too. And the craziest thing is that they can change between shapes because of the food they eat! At least according to a local. That is just, completely different than anything I thought I knew about Pokémon. If they have different types and different shapes, how can they really be called the same Pokémon? Is it because they can change and change back? I don't think I can believe all of this. I guess I'm not the only one, because the local recommended a book called Variations on a Theme, it's all about Pokémon that have different bodies but are the same species. I'm going to buy one as soon as we hit Unova. They didn't have any at the shops we went to.

Okay, about Agatha. She went a little too far today. At least I think so. We were eating outside, and Benedict has been doing well out of his Pokéball lately, so he was with us. So were Hestia and Ghastly. Then she goes and lets out Ekans! Benedict freaked out and I flipped out. She insisted it was okay, and wouldn't put Ekans back. And she wouldn't let me put Benedict back. Agatha took Ekans and they ate together twenty feet away. She asked Hestia to join them, too. Benedict was shaking with fear, I still wanted to return him to his Pokéball. But Ghastly was trying to comfort him. They spoke and I don't know what he said, but Benedict calmed down. At least enough that he wasn't screaming, and he did manage to eat. I still think it was too much too soon, but I understand what Agatha was going for. That's twice today she ticked me off.

Then, Agatha goes and challenges me to a battle. Two rounds, Ekans versus Hestia and Ghastly versus Benedict. She said the second round could be run and dodge, since Benedict isn't ready for a real battle. At least she understands that much. The match between Hestia and Ekans was just as intense as last time. Actually, it was better. I battled Chris a few times and I've battle a couple other people more than once, but I've never battled someone as many times as I have Agatha. I've started to get a real sense of how she thinks and how her Pokémon respond to her. We're competing, but it's kind of like we're working together too. She won that round, but only because Ekans Wrapped Hestia once she had run out of Flamethrowers and Embers.

The real match, surprisingly, was between Benedict and Ghastly. Ghastly is faster, but because Benedict has more than one head he can keep attacking over and over. I even managed to share an idea with Benedict without having to explain it out loud. It's like he knew what I was thinking, like I was another of his heads. I told him to "spread out", and his heads went different directions. That in and of itself, was brave of him. Ghastly chose one head and chased after it. Then I said to "close in" and Benedict turned around the two closest heads and they attacked Ghastly at the same time. I tried to do the same thing again, but Agatha had Ghastly rise up and swoop in on a target. It went on for what felt like an hour. But Benedict got tired and I surrendered.

We were all pooped, except Ghastly. He was just thrilled and he flew around each of us. When he went back to Benedict, I think Benedict was trying to be funny and jumped at him. Ghastly dodged and laughed and then burst into light! We were all blinded, but I tried to see as much as I could, as Ghastly evolved into Haunter! I have never seen Agatha so, girly. She was over the moon. Haunter was pretty happy too, I guess. Next to Agatha, anyone would have looked like depressed. Benedict was confused, I think the bright light in his face only added to that. But Haunter convinced him that he was the same Pokémon. After that, he got excited too. I'm still thrilled. I got to see another evolution today! Haunter flew around and made faces and played with his new hands. Agatha has been with Ghastly for a while, training and battling. I guess, even though it wasn't a difficult or dangerous battle, it was just the little push he needed. It's really cool to see hard work pay off like that. It just made my whole day better.

Just a couple more days until we reach Unova. Then there will be lots of new things and Pokémon to see. Unova is sort of cut off from most of the other regions. And because of that, I've been told that there are almost none of the Pokémon I'm familiar with. Which means lots questions and a sore drawing hand.

-Samuel Oak

September 9, 1959

Dear Ash,

I saw a Wailord! Have you heard of this Pokémon, Ash, it's a big deal. In case you haven't, it's a water type Pokémon that's like a whale. Oh, and it's also more than twice as long as our ship! It swam up right next to us and rose out of the water. The crew was in a panic because Wailord are so big, if they decide to move around too much or worse take offense that a ship is nearby, they can create enough waves to tip the ship and knock it around. And that's without using any moves. If one got even slightly angry, it could sink the ship, no problem. I can tell you they weren't afraid for nothing. Just having it next to the ship caused it to rock. It wasn't until after the Wailord had left that I noticed I was about to throw up. But that Wailord, it was amazing. I could only see the top of the thing. It's blowhole was way out in front of us and it sprayed water so high it looked like rain. The tail popped out behind the ship and when it slapped down onto the water it sounded like the loudest, wettest clap ever. It's hard to believe that the Earth curves, because of the flat ground. But looking at the back of that Pokémon, that looked entirely flat but had to curve, I can believe the world is round. And yes, there were also more Magikarp.

I went to tell Jason all about the Wailord. He wasn't as interested in it as I was, but he let me go on about it. Muk is doing well, I think. Jason says that it's meant a lot to them that I keep coming by to talk. He also thanked Benedict, who managed to say thank you with at least one of his heads while he was talking with Muk. Jason has an apartment waiting for him in Castelia City, which is where we're headed. It's one of the largest cities in the world. Being so big and populated, Jason believes it will also have some of the worst pollution. Which is normally a bad thing, but Muk will thrive in it. They feed on and live in waste and chemicals. I told him about the Pokémon Trubbish, that Frederick told me were there. Jason already knew and said it was part of the reason he realized this might be a good place for Muk. I remembered that article where someone thought Muk and Grimer only exist because of human waste and trash. Jason doesn't think about those kinds of things, I guess. But he doesn't think anything, even a Pokémon, can just come out of nowhere like that. Humans and animals evolved from other animals, Pokémon must have come from something else too. Which makes sense. But it's kind of hard to guess where. Where could something like that Wailord have come from?  
Since all of our Pokémon are doing "battles", today's training went on longer than usual. Haunter is getting a feel for his new body and Agatha has to adjust to it too. He moves differently and is able to do things he wasn't before. It's odd for all of us. But it's good for Benedict. He has to get used to fighting, at least a little. I don't want him to be a battle Pokémon, but I want him to be able to fight when he has to. I spoke with him a lot about that, long before this little sea voyage. And again last night. Benedict understands, and I think he agrees. He's at least trying. Having Haunter be off his game gives Benedict some breathing room. Of course Agatha is learning fast, so I think that advantage will go away soon.

I can't remember much else of what happened today. The whole Wailord thing only lasted a few minutes, but I haven't been able to think about anything else since. There is one thing to think about though, land. We are just two days away from Unova and Castelia City. And just four days from a very special day. But I won't spoil the surprise just yet.

-Samuel Oak

September 11, 1959

Dear Ash,

My neck hurts from all of the looking up. Celadon City had a few tall buildings and so did Goldenrod City, but Castelia City puts them both to shame. Every building in downtown is over thirty stories. There is so much food. There's a food cart on every corner. Yeah, food "carts". Portable kitchenettes that they can move from place to place to get more business. And it's crazy, all of the different kinds of people. It seems like there's at least twenty people from every region I've ever heard of here. And by here, I mean here in the hostel. I thought I was used to variety, but this is just mind blowing. The hostels are run differently, at least this one is. Back home there would be maybe ten people to a large room or maybe two or three to a small room. This one is just one gigantic room with as many beds as possible squished in.

Agatha's here too, somewhere. The girls have their own section away from the boys. That was the norm back home too, I guess. I just don't think I ever really noticed. She and I walked around for hours after the ship arrived. We saw a great big fountain, a theater with a huge line outside, men in suits everywhere, and more cars on one street than I've seen in my entire life. There were stores for everything, too. Men's fashion, which was just more suits. Women's fashion, those ones were everywhere. Stores just for jewelry, hats, cooking supplies, camping supplies, hiking supplies, car supplies, Pokéballs, Pokémon accessories, Pokémon attire, Pokémon care, and on and on. Half of these would be different parts of the same store anywhere else. We lost all sense of focus.

I helped Jason bring his stuff up to his new apartment. Even the apartment buildings are three times as high as back home. The one he moved into was less flashy and nice than some of the others. Not as friendly, I don't know how to describe it really. Jason had to get a truck to help move his stuff from the dock. He brought everything from his bed to his collection of shards he found in Sinnoh. The apartment itself is nice. He has two bedrooms, a family room, and a full kitchen. Muk's going to sleep in Jason's room, so right now the other will be used to hold all the stuff he hasn't unpacked. There isn't that much even though Jason said he brought everything. The place looks really empty. It made me think about how much there was at my house and my room. I really don't know where it all came from or what it was for. Now that I see Jason's new home, I realize that every home I've ever been in had that same, stuff, everywhere. A home just isn't a home without it. I asked Jason and he said he got rid of most of it, but he'll find new stuff to decorate with.

I also had to ask about Muk. If there was a problem where Muk might damage the ship just by being there, couldn't the same thing happen to the apartment? Jason thought of that, he worked out something with the landlord, where they put down a special kind of flooring that Muk can't dissolve. It's apparently used in all kinds of factories and sewage systems to keep the Grimer, Muk, Trubbish, and others out. I think he said it was made with asbestos or something like that, which is supposed to be great.

Trubbish really do exist. They look like a green bag with teeth and eyes, and clumps of garbage spilling out of the sides. And they evolve into bigger ones that look like the bag burst after it ate too much, called Garbodor. They were hiding in alleys, probably because people don't like seeing them. But I managed to get a good look before they ran away. I tried to draw them from memory, but with a walking pile of trash it's hard to remember the specifics. That's not all, there were red and green bug types. A more veiny version of Machop carrying around a metal girder, but they were working on a building, so I think that was just part of their job. Little grey birds everywhere, that someone called Pidove. Purple cat Pokémon that looked elegant. A baby looking Pokémon, that was all black but with white ribbons. There were vendors with little red Pokémon that had stubby arms and legs, which were running around everywhere. I don't know what they were selling, but it smelled awful. I was constantly trying to ask people what they all were, but I can't remember all of their names! I'm going to go through my entire new sketchbook in this one city!

I was so busy looking around, I didn't have the time to see all of the landmarks. And, I wasn't at all surprised to find out, Castelia City has a great library. I'll try not to bore you with everything I find in there. Because I'll be too busy sharing everything and every Pokémon I see. So much to do. I could spend a month here. I want to travel the region, but who has the time?

-Samuel Oak

September 12, 1959

Dear Ash,

I'm exhausted. I shouldn't even be awake right now, but there's no way I'm going to sleep any time soon either. I didn't know this yesterday, but there's a place in Central Plaza set aside for Pokémon training. Central Plaza is like this forest right in the middle of the city. It's where that big fountain is. Agatha and I went to train there today. There were dozens of people already there with their Pokémon. I found out that most of them were students at Castelia University. Would I be a complete loser if I said that I was hyped to find that out. I begged Agatha to go there with me, but she still wants to do her own thing. I didn't end up going there today anyway, maybe tomorrow.

About the training area. There were more than six battle arenas. There was also a pool for water types and hoops for flying types to go through. In fact, there was something set aside for just about every type Pokémon to train with. Hestia went nuts. She toured the whole thing. She pointed out every tool and structure. She tried to talk to every Pokémon and trainer, some of whom did not appreciate her interruption. I tried to make her battle Ekans, but she was so utterly distracted by watching others battle that I gave up. We just watched for a while. Benedict too. Agatha was annoyed, but she couldn't get Hestia to listen either. We did have to leave eventually, I had to force Hestia back into her ball to make her leave. I didn't like doing it, but we had been there for hours. I only got to visit a few places today because of it.

Speaking of, I toured more of the city. I bought a map, but still had to ask for directions like an idiot. I went to the Castelian Civic Gallery of Art History. I shared that with Benedict, since it was quiet and there were lots of paintings and sculptures to look at. Hestia couldn't come, there was this whole list of Pokémon not allowed inside and Charmeleon were on it. Later, I went to the Universal Museum. There were figures of ancient people and fossils of long lost Pokémon. And there was something odd about the number of animals included in the exhibit. There were way more than I thought there should be. I had never heard of most of them. I've heard of Pokémon related to them, but I barely knew anything about the animals themselves. All of these animals were either extinct or endangered. The tour guide said that there are records and remains of hundreds of thousands of animals that aren't around today. And many of them have disappeared in the last few thousand years. It's creepy to think about how many animals have been lost. Someone asked if there were that many Pokémon that had gone extinct, but he said no. There are Pokémon that aren't around today, but the records they can find show that only a few have disappeared in comparison to animals. This isn't really that interesting, but it stuck with me.

I managed to catch the four o'clock ferry to Liberty Garden. It's an island right near Castelia City, it was actually the first sign of land we saw when we were sailing in. It's a symbol of the unity and the wonder of having so many different people living in Castelia City. The tour guide said that it was purchased by a family almost two hundred years ago. They transformed the island from little more than a patch of land into a smaller, ideal version of Unova. They saw this region as a place where Pokémon and people could live together in harmony. More than harmony, they could live together and improve each others lives, and constantly build on those improvements. To reach new heights, and further than that. The island itself doesn't allow any battles. All Pokémon were welcome to walk freely. Hestia, Benedict, and I walked around looking at the flowers and out at the sea. We went to the top of the lighthouse, which had a wonderful view. The lighthouse is a lot like the one in Olivine City, except it didn't have an Ampharos. The light mechanism was hidden for some reason, so I couldn't see what made it work. And I forgot to ask later.

While we were there, we saw something I didn't expect. A trainer with her Raticate, several Rattata, and a Pokémon I've never seen before with big unblinking eyes. In that moment, I remembered the sound of Benedict screaming when he was attacked by a Raticate all those months ago. All of Benedict began to shake and one of him started to cry. I reached for his Pokéball, but I stopped. Agatha and Chris both told me that he was braver than either of us think. I sat down, held him close, and I did the something, that could have been worse than anything I've ever done to him. I asked him to look. I tried to say he was safe. They wouldn't, couldn't harm him. I asked him to look with just one eye, with one head, and see them. They were a family. A family like he is. And he did. Just with one head, looked and watched the Raticate and Rattata play. He saw and he dug the rest of his faces into my chest. I returned him to his ball right after. I admit, I was scared too. Hestia knew. We sat there for a while before getting back on the ferry.

Leave it to Agatha to find the creepiest thing in the entire city. She tricked me into going near hospital by saying we were going out to a restaurant next door. Little did I know that she was waiting to find a ghost type Pokémon that's known for hanging out near the recently deceased. Partway through desert she drags me out of the place because 'it was on the move'. I was so confused, all I could see was a blue light in the sky. We ran all the way to a nearby graveyard. I firmly told her I wasn't going in. She dragged me in anyway. I was stiff as a board. Did you know that in Unova, they don't cremate people's remains? They just bury them whole! It's horrifying. And I was standing in the middle of hundreds of them.

Agatha was too busy starting a fight with the floating light to notice that that place was dangerous. She was battling the Pokémon, in the graveyard! It looked like a glass ball with a fire inside, while wearing a rice hat and had two arms. A Lampent, she would tell me later on. She was very into her little match and she didn't see all of the other lights that started to appear around us. I wanted to tell her, but my voice wouldn't work. With some effort, I managed to grab her arm. She tried to shake me loose, but I held on until she turned to yell at me. Finally, Agatha saw that we were surrounded by purple flames and glowing eyes. Thank goodness she wasn't so stubborn that she tried to stay. We ran. Ran all the way back to the restaurant, where I made her pay for all the food and apologize to the owner for running out. When I asked her why she brought me along, she said that ghosts always show up around people who are scared of them. This woman is going to get me killed. Or worse, get my spirit stolen.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow. So much to do. And it's just a special day to begin with. I hope I live to see it.

-Samuel Oak

September 13, 1959

Dear Ash,

Happy Birthday to me! That's right, I turn eleven today. I don't know how old you are, Ash, but I bet I'm older! By the time you read this, I definitely will be. It's been almost two years since I first left Pallet Town and it will probably be even longer before I go back. It's kind of sad to think about it that way, but I want to keep traveling as long as I can. I love seeing new places and meeting new Pokémon. I love all of their weird quirks and personalities. I want to know how they live and think. And I like making human friends, too. Agatha and Jason threw me a little birthday celebration at his place. There was ice cream and singing and lots and lots of talking. Muk is apparently a great comedian. He did some kind of stand up act all by himself for the Pokémon. I didn't get any of it, naturally, but they seemed to be laughing. Agatha and Jason shared stories. She talked about her time at the Ecruteak and Fuschia gyms. He went on about his the factory he worked at in Olivine City. I wanted to share, but those two are kind of tough to make shut up. I had a good time though.

Jason bought me a new professional pencil set. I'm so familiar with mine, that it feels odd to use, but that will go away soon enough. Agatha took me out clothes shopping. I had planned on getting a new outfit once I got to Unova. I completely forgot until today. I also forgot that one of the reasons Chris told me to send stuff back home was so I wouldn't be carrying dead weight. Which my old outfit now is. Anyway, Agatha has more money to throw around than I do. We exchanged our money for Unovan money at the same time when we got off the ship, and she has stacks of cash. I seriously don't know where it comes from. She spared no expense on my new clothes. She bought me new hiking pants, a white button top shirt, and a green light jacket. She wanted to get me a hat, but I couldn't find one that I liked. I like my new look. Jason had a camera and he took a picture of all of us. He's going to give me a copy once it's developed, I'll include it with this journal if I can.

Speaking of this journal, I also didn't realize how many pages I had used. It's thinner than my sketchbook, but I didn't really think about that. I'm nearly out of pages. So, I bought a new one as sort of a birthday present for you. I don't know when your birthday is, but I wanted to get a new one and the journal is for you, after all. This will be my last entry in this book. But I'm going to keep writing, so you better keep reading them Ash.

Before all that, there was something else that happened. Startling at first, then scary, and then kind of fun. Followed by something amazing. In the morning, I met up with Agatha back at the battle arenas in Central Plaza. She had something planned. Which is never a good thing. She asked me to trust her, which was kind of hard after last night. I did try, though. I let out Benedict and Hestia. Agatha had a private word with Hestia, when it looked like she was going to run off and watch the other fights. Haunter came out and went right over to Benedict. Something was said, but I was watching Agatha. She crossed the arena and let out Ekans. Benedict, who had been on the ground for once, ran to hide behind me. I was about to shout at her again, when she beat me to it. She challenged me to a three on one match! Hestia, Haunter, and Benedict versus Ekans. I couldn't think. I think I heard Haunter saying something to Benedict. Next thing I know, he's hopping forward all by himself. I was stunned. I'm still stunned.

So we did it. We had a Pokémon battle, where I had three on my side and she had one. It still sounds stupid. I had no idea what to do. I couldn't keep track of it all. I ordered Haunter with what I knew of what Agatha had always done. Hestia did her own thing, kind of. I think she knew I was lost. Benedict stayed at the back at first. The others moved slowly, like they were waiting for him, even Ekans. It took some encouraging and the other two falling all over each other, but Benedict got in there. He attacked Ekans. He used Barrage and Leech Seed and that shouting attack he used a few months ago. Someone nearby recognized it and said it was called Uproar. Benedict surrounded Ekans and shouted for a solid minute. Really, it was one on one. Agatha just wanted Benedict to feel like he wasn't alone. And I think that gave him the confidence to fight. Benedict was in a Pokémon battle. And won. To be fair, Agatha and Ekans weren't trying to win and I had Hestia and Haunter on my side. None of that was the point, though. She gave Benedict courage I didn't think he had yet. I wasn't sure he ever would. And in a way that I never would have thought of. He fought. It was amazing.

I think he knows what Agatha was doing. You can't have six brains and be stupid. He was happy to win just the same. We all congratulated him. There was more, too. After recovering from that fake knockout, Ekans found Benedict right there. Faces to face. Benedict was still scared, he was shaking when he spoke. Something happened between them. Ekans stretched out and Benedict hopped forward. They, nuzzled. I guess you can't shake hands when you don't have hands. More than anything else he's done in the last few months, that was brave.

It was a really special day. More than I thought it would be. Tomorrow doesn't stand a chance. I'm going to try though. We're going to try another battle tomorrow, it'll be kind of a mock one again. Benedict needs the practice. I want to visit the subway station after. And I'm going to Castelia University. Maybe they will let me sit in on a lecture. I really am such a loser. I want to visit the library all day the day after tomorrow, too. That's the day when Agatha is leaving for the Celestial Tower. She's going to be staying there to study the ghost type Pokémon. I'll meet up with her there eventually. Assuming I ever leave that library. This thing is supposed to be huge! If this one doesn't have the answers I'm looking for, no place will.

-Samuel Oak


	9. First Interlude

Something was on his face, big but light and soft. Even if he couldn't think with his entire mind, Ash knew what it was. He reached up and pulled the offending object away. It came back right after. That confirmed it. It was Pikachu's tail. Ash's body didn't exist to him yet, just a warm sensation and the square of tail rubbing up against his nose. On some level in his mind, he laughed. Pikachu had no respect for how Ash was trying to sleep. Pikachu's tail had even less respect.

Ash had thoughts, ones about waking up. He needed to. The sun was up. Spending most of his nights camping in the open, Ash was used to getting up not long after sunrise. For reasons he couldn't quite get a grip on, though, he instinctively tried not to wake up. Maybe that was wrong. He was deliberately trying not to get ahold of those reasons. He was swimming down into the darkness of unconsciousness. Actively fighting mental buoyancy. Struggling to stay unaware.

Pikachu's tail grabbed him like a fishing hook. His mind was tugged into reality. Eyes still closed, Ash came to know the truth that the morning brought. He was home. In his bed. A book was under his hand. Pikachu was asleep, with his head on Ash's shoulder. And Professor Oak, was still dead.

Accepting that fact hadn't stopped it from haunting Ash. Moments where he thought about things Professor Oak would say or like or do, showed up like little reminders. Making sure he didn't forget. He wished he could forget. But if he could: once he faced his mom or anyone in Pallet Town, they would only tell him again. Forgetting wouldn't make it not true.

Ash wanted to reject the need to get up. Getting out of bed seemed like the cruelest punishment he could think of.

Opening his eyes took effort. Not because of the sunlight streaming in through the window. They were sore. His _eyeballs_ were sore. After a full night's sleep, he could still feel his entire eyeballs and eye sockets. Ash had never read so much. He wasn't much of a reader, it wasn't his strong suit and he knew that. He would admit that he avoided it with a comical level of dedication. As such, he also couldn't read very quickly. He had spent the entire day yesterday at Professor Oak's Lab, reading. Tracey had insisted Ash go home and get some rest. So he had brought the boxes back with him. And then read until he fell asleep. And even with all of that, Ash had only made it through two and a half of Sammy's journals.

Trying not to disturb Pikachu, Ash lifted the one he had been reading up to his face. He had lost his place. He didn't even remember the last thing he had read. He laid it back down next to him and turned his head. Looking over the edge of his bed, Ash could see the three boxes containing all of Samuel's journals. The ones written specifically for him. Left behind at Professor Oak's lab. Forty years was a difficult concept for someone like Ash to even fathom. Everything in his life, almost four times over. Forget forty years, Ash couldn't even imagine tomorrow. Or today.

Staring up into the ceiling, Ash wondered about the people he had read about. Were they still alive, when Oak was dead? Were they at his funeral? Ash hadn't been. Guilt squirmed and shifted, making itself comfortable inside his chest. Ash thought about the flower Elanor had given Sammy: it had decomposed some, but it was still a flower. He had found it inside the first journal, and an old photograph. In the second, Ash had found a letter addressed to Samuel by one of his brothers. The letter was a wedding invitation. But Sammy hadn't been able to go. There were also etchings of fossils and a star chart. And there were pages and pages of Sammy telling Ash about the new Pokemon he found in Unova. It had all been fresh and new to Sammy. He'd had no idea that Ash himself had been to Unova and seen all of those Pokemon himself. To be honest, Ash had been just as excited to see them for the first time. Just as many adventures and new encounters had happened for Ash as Sammy. ...Maybe not. Sammy had forty years ahead of him.

Forty years. And no more.

Wallowing in that thought, Ash became aware of something. He was feeling hungry. When _had_ he last eaten? Or even felt hungry? There was food on a plate on his desk. His mom had brought it in last night. He'd ignored and forgotten about it. He should probably eat. He knew he should, but didn't really feel like it. Ash wanted to keep reading. He wanted to spend time with his long lost friend. But his eyes were sore. And he was hungry. He could wait a few more minutes.

* * *

Pikachu hadn't regained his energy either. Both of them looked to be eating out of habit rather than any kind of desire. Delia could tell, but couldn't complain. She was just happy to see Ash up. "How are you feeling today, sweety?" she asked delicately. It was a stupid question and she knew it. There was no _non-_ stupid question _to_ ask.

Ash hesitated, Delia thought he was thinking of what to say, but he simply continued to eat. She decided not to push him. Ash hadn't been able to do more than mumble since he got home a few days ago. She had never seen him this way...

She was afraid. Last night: Tracey told her about the journals left for Ash by Professor Oak. He had had no idea what was in them or why Ash had refused to stop reading. Ash wasn't acting like an empty shell anymore, but whatever lived into that shell now wasn't behaving like her son. She knew that what was written in those things was between Ash and Professor Oak, and they had brought some light back into his eyes. Delia couldn't help but wonder if what they were doing to him was okay, though.

"Mom..." Ash mumbled, out of nowhere, "How well did you know Professor Oak?" Surprise prevented her from processing the question enough to answer.

"What do you mean?"

"Were you, close?"

It was such an odd question. Of course they had been close. Ash knew that. "Yes, we were."

"How well, did you know him?" Delia was hesitant. She wasn't sure what he was looking for. Was this question the one of a grieving child? The question of someone looking for someone else to blame? Or was there something else? Ash's next question fit the latter: "What if, you thought he was one person, but he was really someone else? I knew Professor Oak my whole life, but I never knew..." Written in those book were words left to Ash by Professor Oak. Words that were frightening Delia. Not knowing what the words were, meant that she couldn't possibly give the answer he needed.

Deciding that hope and trust were the best options, Delia eventually said: "Professor Oak loved you. He loved Pokemon. He loved his students. He was a good man. I **know** this, in my heart." Ash sulked, ever so slightly. "And I know it in my head." Delia went to crouch next to Ash. Gently guiding his face to look him in the eye, she spoke in a firm tone "Whatever you're thinking, or feeling, or whatever is in those books of his, you **did** know him. He never lied to you. He loved you, Ash. Don't you ever think otherwise."

Ash closed his eyes and he hugged Delia for dear life. She hugged him in return. She had been trying to comfort him. Her words were true. But she had no way of knowing that she was also wrong. And that wrongness, had cut Ash deeper than any lie.

* * *

Not waiting for Ash, Pikachu was already on the bed wrangling the book in front of him. A huff and a grunt later, it was laid out. This one was smaller than the previous two, and only about the size of Pikachu. That meant that it was as big as he was. Since he read even less than Ash did, he had little experience operating a book.

Turning pages required Pikachu to lean from one side to the other. From his seated position: Pikachu rocked left to right, grabbing pages and flipping them over.

The whole thing was a kind of performance. Pikachu had fallen asleep before Ash, so he didn't know where they had left off. Another small obstacle stood in the way like a wall of books: literacy. Pikachu didn't have it. He wanted Ash to continue. And Ash did too, however... The surprise of the journals had given them both the steam to read all of yesterday, but Ash didn't know if he could go on. Pikachu didn't want him to give up.

That was how Ash chose to interpret Pikachu's behavior.

"Pika-chu."

Ash's eyes hurt. Reading and crying and a mental fatigue Ash had never had to deal with before dragged at him. If Pikachu could have read it to him, Ash would have asked him to. Reaching for the book, Ash paused for a split second to let Pikachu to climb up. As he sat at his trash heap of a desk, he thought about how remarkable it was that Meowth could read and speak. A feat which rivaled almost anything Ash himself had ever seen. The only reason it didn't top the list is: well, several of Ash's adventures put Sammy's to shame. And yet, Meowth's unique talent had been rendered mundain by the fact that Meowth couldn't shut up. When he felt like it, Meowth would act as a translator for other Pokemon. A rare act, but often helpful. And it would be helpful now.

The pages for this journal were more flimy and prone to tearing. Ash scanned them, looking for something he didn't remember. There was Hestia learning Sword Dance, Sammy getting captured by wild Fraxure, Mildred's prank, Sammy trying to fly with a Swanna, Benedict making friends with a Deerling. An endless parade of: adventures, fun, 'new' Pokemon, and facts about every little thing.

Not 'endless', not really.

But there were still years to go, by looking at the boxes.

"Pika..." Without Ash noticing, Pikachu had moved down his arm and was hugging his hand. He saw that the paper was trembling, ever so slightly.

Deep breath.

Ash did that a lot lately.

He couldn't start just yet. In a moment, a minute maybe.

Not resisting the scoop and pull, Pikachu willingly gave into an embrace. No tears this time, from either of them. Simply the comfort of their other half. Acting as one whole, they might be able to get through the day.

The chair creaked when Ash leaned back and loosened his grip. At a glance toward the open journal, Ash recalled: "Sammy loves his Pokemon, he loves all Pokemon. But he really does love Hestia and Benedict."

"Chu?"

"I worry about him sometimes, it's like he doesn't understand them. He thinks it's this or that, when really Hestia just wants attention. She wants to support Sam, but she also wants him to tell her he's proud. I don't think he tells her that often enough..."

"Piii."

Ash surveyed Pikachu's face, "Sammy isn't that good a trainer. He doesn't get how his Pokemon think."

"Chuuu." he told Ash he was being harsh.

"You have to move and think like your Pokemon. He can't do that."

"Pi, Pika Pikachu."

"I know he will. Someday, Sammy will know Pokemon better than I do. But I don't think he'll ever know his Pokemon better than I know you." They shared a smile made from pride and a hint of shame in that pride. "He's not a trainer."

"Pika, chu..." he agreed. "Pi, Pikachu chu chu Pi. Pika Pika."

"Yeah, he did. If Sam could grow into... I wonder who we'll be."

"Pika." he said reassuringly. Ash smiled and rubbed Pikachu's cheek, who tilted his head so Ash would get the sweet spot. With the other hand, Ash continued his search for where he had left Sammy behind. It wasn't long before he found it.

Scooting closer to the desk, Ash began reading aloud as a courtesy to Pikachu like he had yesterday. Until he became so absorbed that he forgot. But Pikachu would remind him. "'Why can't I find my way out of this damn cave!?'..."

For the first time ever, Ash realized just how uncomfortable his desk chair was. Stiff, flat, hard, these were all appropriate words to describe his seat. The word he would have used: was 'distracting'. Sammy was trying to explain a game that the Lillipup played on a ranch, but was constantly being interrupted by complaints from Ash's behind.

Pikachu was becoming irritated. He was curled up in Ash's lap. The constant squirming prevented any level of relaxation he might be trying to achieve.

A gentle knock came in through the door, followed closely by Delia. "Ash, sweety, you have a phone call." Ash couldn't deal with the real world right now, he could barely deal with the contents of his room. Reading was all he cared about at the moment. "It's your friends." she added.

Ash shuddered internally. How could he forget to call them? His friends had supported him when he had left so suddenly. Yet, he had forgotten them as part of a life that didn't exist anymore. Like the kids he had gone to school with or his favorite babysitter. Embarrassment and guilt announced their presence with fanfare. Ash couldn't hold in a sigh.

The chair for the video phone was much softer and more bouncy than his own. Ash contemplated all the ways this particular chair was superior to his, rather than to look his friends in the face. Friends, who had gone out of their way to rush Ash home. Who called to check up on him. Who had always been there when he needed them. He could not- ...he wasn't ready to look at them yet.

"Hey there -" she cut herself off before finishing her usual greeting.

"Hey, guys." Ash said to his lap.

"Pikachu." Pikachu greeted from Ash's shoulder. But no one seemed to notice.

"Shouldn't you be on the road right now?" Ash asked apologetically.

"Then we wouldn't be able to call." replied a man' s voice.

"I told dem we should leave wi'dout callin' yez, but 'dey-" there was a sound suspiciously like someone getting hit on the head.

"Shut up."

"We're so sorry about the Professor."

Ash's only reply was to nod at his knees.

"...Are you staying to help out?" He continued.

Ash inhaled sharply. That was another thing he had forgotten about. Professor Oak had had more than just a lab. He'd had a home, a family. Sammy, had had a family once too. Gary, and his sister, and his mom, had been family. They were probably going through Oak's belongings. Anything not left for Tracey, that is. ...Or for Ash. Oak probably willed lots of stuff to people he knew. Sammy might not have been able to make friends as easily as Ash, but he'd had a long time to do it.

"...No, I haven't. I've been reading."

"You can read?" demanded the girl's voice. "OW!" she too, had been hit on the head.

"Of course he can read, he ain't da two o' you."

"Hey!" said the male and female voices together. The three started to fight. Ash could picture it all in his head. The familiarity of the image brought him comfort, enough that he managed to chuckle.

The only one to notice was Pikachu. Joy and pride were summed up in a word: "Pika."

On the other side of the video phone, the others stopped fighting. "And how's our little Pikachu?"

"Chuuu." sparks emanated from Pikachu's cheeks. The three grinned in a manor only achievable by those who were separated from Pikachu by an ocean, a major landmass, and a phone. Not to mention: multiple government's worth of health and safety regulations designed to make sure the latter wouldn't blow up in your face.

"I can't leave. Not yet."

Silence.

After summoning all of his strength, Ash admitted: "The Professor left something for me. I- I don't want to leave until I've finished-..."

"The old man was family." she said.

"Yeh don't leave family behind."

Family. Was Professor Oak 'family'? Could you really call someone that, when you knew so little about them? Last week: Ash might have said yes. But that was before he had found out about Sammy.

Were these guys family?

"We'll wait for you at the next gym."

"Take all the time yeh need."

Ash sniffled. "Thanks, guys" He looked into their oversized grins, and smiled.

The Professor had forgotten one thing. Letter after letter had described Pokemon and events to Ash, that told him to look in the accompanying sketchbook for more detail. Except, there was only the one of those. The rest hadn't been included. The most likely reason Ash could think of was that Tracey only found the journals, not the sketchbooks. But Ash was now walking back home with Pikachu from Oak's- ...From the lab. Tracey had only been told to collect the journals, which had taken some time since they were scattered among storage and mixed in with research notebooks. He didn't know anything about other sketchbooks. At Ash's request, he agreed to look for them.

This of course, was a lie. Sure, there were sketchbooks missing and he had gone to see Tracey about them. The fact remained that that reason was a scapegoat. Ash had actually left the safety of his room and the ordeal of reading, to do something else. Something he had been able to delay doing by going to see Tracey.

He could put it off longer, if he tried.

"You know, Pikachu, Sammy grew up here. He was raised in this town, just like me." Ash tried to imagine what it had looked like all those years ago. It had changed since Ash himself had left. A new building here. A new sign there. In many cases, Ash couldn't actually say what was different. He couldn't remember specifically how a thing was before. Just that he knew some things weren't what they had been. Was that what would happen with his memories of the Professor? Would Ash slowly forget what it was like to have him around? How it felt to talk to him? One day, was it possible Ash wouldn't remember Professor Oak as anything other than some guy who passed away?

Even his inner voice trembled while articulating the thought.

This delay tactic wasn't actually helping.

Pikachu rubbed his cheek against Ash's. "Piiika..." He said in a sympathetic tone. Ash rubbed back, even managing a smile.

"Thanks, Pikachu." He scratched Pikachu's chin. Taking a moment to recenter, Ash went back to the thought he had started with. "I wonder where he used to live? What were his parents like? I have so many questions that I can't ask. Sammy won't shut up about the things he's doing, but he never talks about home. He's never even said his brothers' names." Ash was trying to sound like he was having fun, ragging on a friend.

Pikachu pulled away from Ash to look right at him. "Chu? Pi, Pika?" He tilted his head at the same time he said it. Ash could tell Pikachu had thought of something he hadn't. That language barrier had a talent for getting in the way when it came to specifics. "Pi." Pikachu dashed over to Ash's right shoulder, barely giving Ash time to lean his neck forward to let him pass. "Piiiii." Pikachu scanned the houses and streets, giving them a sniff for good measure. After a moment or two, his ears perked up. Looking back at Ash, "Pi Pika, Pi Pikachu!" he gestured down a road. It was Ash's turn to tilt his head.

Standing on his hind legs, Pikachu adopted an air of confidence, or perhaps smugness. Touching his chin with one paw and holding its elbow with the other, he said: "Pikachu. Pika Pika Pi. Piikaachuu." That tone was undeniable.

"Gary..." Gary was an Oak. If anyone knew about Sammy's family or history, it would be him.

Ash hadn't been honest with Pikachu about the why of leaving the house. He'd known that if he was, then the reason would have been real. Pikachu wouldn't let Ash go home without seeing Gary. Maybe not, but he would have felt guiltyed all the same. Ash sighed internally. Not only had his distraction not worked, it had lead him right back to the thing he wanted to avoid. Ash and Pikachu's bond prevented him from lying to himself.

"Pika." Pikachu confirmed.

"You're right, let's go ask him." Ash was barely able to feign enthusiasm. He paused on his first step. He hadn't properly spoken to Gary yet. He wasn't sure he could do it.

But now he had to try.

Suddenly, Ash found himself in a place he hadn't been in years. Sitting on the couch at Gary's house. The sitting part was especially new. Gary, Ash, and a few of the other kids spent most of their time together running around. And Gary and Ash had a tendency to get into fights. You can't argue while sitting down, it just isn't manly. They would shout and get into each other's faces and wrestle anytime they were together. He was always angry with Gary, but somehow Ash remembered those times fondly. Even their shouting matches.

The fight going on in the other room was nothing like that.

"He just wants to talk to you."

"No, if he wanted to talk then he should have been here two weeks ago!" Ash heard Gary's voice coming from up the stairs.

Daisy's response wasn't loud enough for Ash to understand.

Gary's was. "I called him! I called him a hundred times! If that loser cared so much about Gramps, then why didn't he call me back!"

Again, Ash couldn't make out the voice that Gary must have been trying to ignore. Ash and Pikachu were looking at each other, Ash with shame and Pikachu with concern.

"Tell him to get lost." No slam, but a door had most definitely closed. He didn't have to wait long for Daisy to come down the stairs.

"I'm sorry about my brother." She said and Ash brushed it off by shaking his head.

After making a round trip to the kitchen, she handed Ash a cup of tea and sat down. The same tea. The Professor's tea. "It's good to see you, Ash. Gary missed you, even if he won't admit it." Ash smiled and took a sip of tea. "He'll calm down eventually." This person was different than the older sister Ash remembered. To him, Daisy had always been strong willed. And strong fisted. She'd never been afraid to hit Gary to make him behave. She had a lot in common with Misty, come to think of it. This level of calm and concern, didn't fit her. It was unnerving in its own way.

"That's okay. He's right, I should have come back sooner."

"Ash..." There, that: meekly comforting people, wasn't her style. Ash kind of wished she would smack him and tell him he was wrong. It would have relaxed him more.

"Pika." Pikachu scampered over to her lap and looked back at Ash. A slave to Pikachu's presence and her natural instincts, Daisy began petting him.

"Actually, maybe I can talk to you." Ash had to take a few moments to prepare himself. He didn't know where to start. In trying to decide, he realized that he didn't want to. He wasn't afraid of what he would learn, Ash didn't think there were any skeletons in the Professor's closet. If there were, they couldn't possibly be so big that they would ruin the way Ash thought of Oak. Right? The Professor wasn't capable of doing anything bad. But he had been a boy once, a boy named... And that boy had lived here, in Pallet. Ash was trying to ask about that very fact. Ash had to know.

He didn't want to know more. To learn that there were even more things he hadn't known.

Ash inhaled a much as he could, "How can I... Uh, about the Professor's..." he couldn't get through it all. Dropping his gaze to his knees, Ash released the rest of the air he hadn't managed to use.

"You want to know how he was, before he died? If he said anything?" That stabbed Ash. He shouldn't have let go of all that air, because now he couldn't breath.

No.

'No' was all that Ash's brain could muster. He didn't, couldn't- His brain couldn't even process how much he didn't want to think about Oak's last moments.

"Pikaaa," Pikachu said, in an encouraging and soft tone. Somehow, he always knew what Ash needed to hear.

"No," Ash licked his lips, "where did the Professor grow up? What was he like, when he was growing up?"

"I don't know. He was my Grandpa after all." She responded.

Right, stupid question.

She paused to think. "Grandpa grew up in Pallet. He lived with his mom and dad, until he left to travel the world. Mom said that he always loved Pokemon, and that he would do anything to help one in need. And he would forget to take care of her, because of that." Ash turned up his face to look at her, not realizing the pained expression he was wearing. Daisy did see it, though. She chose her next words carefully: "Our Grandmother died. I don't know how, but Grandpa took it pretty hard. He and mom moved back to Pallet Town after that. And he buried himself in his work. Mom said he was caring and nice, just busy. She had to take care of herself a lot."

"He, wasn't there?"

"No, no... How did she put it? Grandpa was distracted by work and 'taking care of the world'. He was there when she asked for him, but he couldn't see for himself when that was. And she felt bad about asking. So, eventually she stopped."

Ash had been wrong: there were skeletons.

She must have been able to tell she wasn't saying the right thing. "He was still a good man. She said he was the best man she could have asked for her father to be. And once I was born, he was so happy. Dad called him the 'devoted idiot'. He said it was like Grandpa had never seen a baby before. He would carry me around town and show me off to all of his friends. We did that until I was eight. We went for walks, all the way to my Great Uncle's place." she stared off into her memories.

"He had two brothers, right?" Ash asked.

His voice pulled her back. "Yes, Uncle Marshal is the postmaster general, and Uncle Oliver is the mayor. He doesn't have any kids, so he's always spoiled us. Oliver's the one who paid for Gary's cheerleaders, back when you guys all left town. As if that idiot didn't have a big enough head already." Ash could hear her true personality slipping out.

"Are they around?"

"Hm? No, both of them left town. I think they were planning some kind of memorial."

"But you already had- ...the funeral,"

"That was closed to the public." she tried to explain, but Ash clearly didn't understand. "Ash, I know this is hard for you to hear, but you aren't the only one who loved my Grandpa."

Ash hadn't thought of his connection to the Professor in those words. And he never thought about how anyone else, not just his friends and family, felt about the Professor dying.

"Grandpa was _the_ Pokemon Professor. He changed the way we look at Pokemon. He helped create industries for trainers. He helped create international laws. And he sent dozens of children just like you, out into the world."

Ash's face was caught between awe and horror; how could he have not known?

She continued: "I suppose, since you _were_ on the road you didn't know. Grandpa's passing made the news all over the world. They've been running stories about him for weeks."

Ash took another deep breath. It was all he could do in an outward sense. Professor Oak had been a person, with a history and childhood and pain and joy and everything. That had been enough of a shock. But now, Gary's older sister was telling Ash that _other people's_ lives had been connected to his. Oak met other people throughout his life, and those people had met Oak. When phrased like that, it sounded stupid. Of course that was true. How had Ash not seen it before? Better question: why was he having such a hard time accepting it now?

"I have to go." Ash rose, not in a hurry, but definitely eager not to stay. Pikachu jumped to the table and onto Ash as he passed.

"Ash..." she didn't know what to say. There was nothing she could have said to make him stay, and following him would be like treating him like a child. So she let him go.

Ash decided to escape the only way he could think of. It wasn't a perfect solution. As a matter of fact, it was a terrible solution given what he was trying to escape. But the alternative was to remain in the present with his own thoughts and Ash wanted nothing more than to run away from those right now. The past, Sammy' present, that was where Ash would hide.


	10. January 14-February 3 (1961)

January 14, 1961

Dear Ash,

New journal! Number four. Nice to see you again, Ash! I guess. Okay, I admit it's a little weird that I keep writing to you like this. And you might not even read these. I think I'd rather tell you in person about everything that happened since we parted. Which was almost two years ago for me! Gosh, how many of these things am I going to have written by the time I see you again? There's no guarantee that we'll meet right after we met. Yes that makes sense, I checked. It could be years for you before we meet for you. If we meet again at all. Now I'm freaking out a bit, let's talk about something else.

Benedict likes this ship way more than the last one. For one thing, it's twice the size. If I run front to back, I run out of breath. In case you haven't caught on, yes, Benedict did make me do that. More than once. How can something so short move so fast? Of course Hestia could keep up, but she's a speedy lizard thing. And she has that body shape that moves well through air, 'airagammic' I think? Point is, I can't control my Pokémon! I'm Exeggutor-ating as my cousin would say. But, yeah, the ship's big.

Benedict was especially happy when we got to go on the bridge. Not like a bridge that you build to cross a river, it's what they call the room where the captain gives all of the orders and they steer. Benedict and I got a tour with a couple of the other passengers. Hestia couldn't come because of the whole open flame thing, which she won't stop complaining about. The captain even showed us around, explaining the jobs of all of his crew. The controls looked complicated and sensitive and you know where I'm going with this. Benedict tried to jump out of my arms many times. The captain's Swanna gave me the stink eye for it, too. But there were a lot of Pokémon there. At least three Duckletts, the captain's Swanna, a Prinplup , and a Probopass.

Do you know what those are? Why do I even ask? Probopass is this big rock nose with a face hiding behind it. And I'm only slightly kidding. Really, it's so cool. It does have a big red nose and a round hat, but the rest of its body is just a head. It has two eyes and a mustache, and three mini versions of itself on its sides. I didn't get to sketch it, but I asked if I could come back another time for a better look. The captain said that Probopass is very useful, but is also becoming a bit of a hazard. Probopass is magnetic, which is great for navigation because no matter where you are or what the conditions are like, they can always find North. Great for ships. At the same time, electronics have this habit of breaking down around Probopass. They have to keep it in another room, away from the controls. This isn't the newest ship, but it does have a few electric parts that they have to protect. The captain says that it's still worth having, though. No one can navigate like a Probopass.

The Prinplup was intense, but cool looking. She's this penguin with curved bits over her head and she looked like she had buttons on her belly. I tried to get a good look, but she was not having it. And that was also when Benedict tried to make a break for the controls. I had to apologize a lot just to be allowed to stay. Prinplup belongs to one of the crew, so hopefully I'll get another chance to see her. I'd never even heard of one before today, so I can't wait to learn more about her.

Not much else for today. But, it is only my second day onboard. We'll see.

-Samuel Oak

January 18, 1961

Dear Ash,

Haha! I ran into the trainer of the Prinplup while the two of them were on a break. His name was Eric. Very helpful and polite. He rambled a bunch, too, but I'm just as guilty of that. Eric was much more receptive than Prinplup, who still didn't like me looking at her. Eric said that she's been that way ever since she evolved. She's less social and isn't as eager to do work. And apparently she never was much of a worker to begin with. I never noticed a big change in Hestia's attitude when she became a Charmeleon, but I have heard of that happening. Pokémon change shape all the time, it's just how things are. But isn't it creepy to think that who they are changes too?

Eric convinced Prinplup to allow me to draw her. I had to give her a cookie I was saving, but it was worth it. I asked Eric a bunch of questions while I drew. Like what she ate, or if Prinplups have any unique abilities. They eat fish, big surprise. Fish fish, not fish Pokémon. But that's getting expensive to buy. And while we're at sea, she can't go hunt, her type of food is very spread out, or something. By the time she could fill her stomach, the ship would be gone.

I haven't heard of most of Sinnoh's Pokémon, and Eric understood why I hadn't heard of Prinplup. Their line all lives in a specific section of Sinnoh, and nowhere else. And since the evolved forms become more and more independent and less friendly, they don't breed all that well. Empoleon, their last stage, is able to stop the rest from outright fighting each other, but they also aren't afraid to deal with anyone who misbehaves. As a trainer's Pokémon, they're quite rare. Reminds me of Charmanders back home.

I got Prinplup and Probopass pictures, so go take a look at those. Huh, if things keep going like they are, maybe you won't have to. By the time you read this, we may actually not have borders like this anymore. For all I know, there could be Sinnoh Pokémon everywhere for you. That's hard to imagine. But possible!

Sorry to bring them up, again, but I saw more Basculin. They really are the Magikarp of Unova. This time was actually cool, though. I was working out with Benedict when Hestia took a break and she suddenly called us over. I could barely make it out, but there were hundreds of them swimming together! I tried to tell others, but no one else cared. How can people not care about stuff like this? It's hundreds of Pokémon! Were they a family? Were they mating? Were they running from something? Who knows? But I'm the only one who wants to ask.

Everything else has been the same. Eat, sleep, wander the ship. Benedict likes it, but I'm getting bored of it. At least I'm not feeling seasick constantly thanks to those pills. And there are a lot of Pokémon around. Most of them are from Unova, but there are some Kanto and Hoenn Pokémon. I'm having a hard time not rushing up to people to ask about their Pokémon. Like this one I've never seen before, it's almost as tall as me and has a segmented body that switches from purple to light purple. Did I mention the big claws on its hands and tail? Because they are huge! But, it reminds me of Jason's Muk. It has two legs on one side but only one on the other. Where the leg should be, it's all misshapen. I want to ask, but I don't want to open old wounds. I'll give it more thought before I approach the trainer. Liam said I need to be more polite. I'm trying, I really am.

-Samuel Oak

January 20, 1961

Dear Ash,

Today was uncomfortable. I didn't get into any trouble and Hestia and Benedict are both fine. In fact, I wasn't involved in the problem at all. Looking back on the past couple of years, that's actually more surprising than it should be. Remember that Pokémon I was telling you about last time? Well, it's called a Drapion. Its trainer and another got into a fight.

I was in one of the halls when I heard yelling. I followed it, because that's the kind of person I am, I guess. There were other people who had heard it, too. By the time I found them, Drapion and a Sandslash looked like they were about to kill each other. I've seen people get angry like that before, and it did scare me, but for Pokémon to have that, I just don't understand. How can anyone have that much hate? I can't remember what they were saying, I missed most of it. I'm pretty sure they called Sandslash a "dirt-shit' and said to "take it back home".

Then, they attacked. Sandslash used Rapid Spin and Drapion tried to use Poison Fang. Drapion was knocked back, but once Sandslash stopped, it was hit by a Night Slash and went through the wall. Drapion followed up with Toxic Spikes while Sandslash wasn't looking, so it stepped on some.

At this point, the other people were holding me back. I was yelling for them to stop, to not fight. But no one would listen. Thank goodness someone else managed to step in. A girl with redish hair and a Happiny, actually ran into the middle of the fight. She was standing on the Toxic Spikes, those things aren't big, but they're tough and sharp. No way they didn't go into her feet. She didn't care. She said "How dare you use Pokémon for this! Stop right now, or I will end it for you." There was more, but I can't remember it all. I thought they were going to keep fighting, with her in the middle, but several crewman showed up and told them battles weren't allowed. They were escorted to the captain. The girl followed.

I've seen that girl around the ship a few times. Something about her has been bugging me. Like she reminds me of someone. I'm almost certain it wasn't her, the person I'm thinking of is definitely older than her. But who? I'm sure I'll think of it.

I thought going to Sinnoh might be risky, but I didn't expect to run into trouble on the boat. Thankfully, that girl put an end to it before anyone got hurt. And before they broke the ship. I hope their Pokémon are okay.

One more thing. Hestia has been down lately. The weather has been pretty cold and I know she doesn't like it, but it's more than that. I let her out of her Pokéball everyday up on deck and if we aren't training, she just sits there, looking over the edge. I'm worried about her. I tried asking, but, well, I can't understand. This isn't 'I'm hungry' or 'I want to see a Pokémon battle' or anything that she can mime to me. I want to know what's wrong, but I don't know how to get the answer. I'll let you know.

-Samuel Oak

January 23, 1961

Dear Ash,

I was right! I knew I knew her from somewhere! Not her exactly, but I do know who she is. Her name is Meredith Joy, from the Joy family. I should have remembered sooner, she had a Happiny with her and those turn into Chansey after all.

Okay, so today we made harbor on a small island, and I went looking around. Hestia, Benedict, and I were having a great time, running from shop to shop. This island has some really good candy. There was one place that had flavors in the shape Pokémon. Vanilla Vanillish, sour Purugly, raging Rhyhorn, cherry Cherrim, mint Deerling, and Druddigon jaw crushers. That one was only the head and it didn't do Druddigon justice. Kelly and Druddigon would have been ashamed.

We were all set to go exploring more, but Hestia just quit. She sat down and wouldn't move. I asked her what was wrong like last time, but she ignored me. I tried to encourage her and bribe her with more candy, but nothing worked. So I decided to sit down with her. If I can't figure out what's wrong with her, I can at least be there for her.

After a while, Meredith popped out of nowhere and asked if we were okay. I nearly fell over when she did. I told her that Hestia was feeling down and we were taking a break. So she asked Hestia, who brushed her off too. Meredith was persistent though. She and Happiny each held one of Hestia's claws and told her it was okay. And to my amazement, she spoke. Hestia and Happiny talked back and forth, then Happiny sat in her lap. Yeah, she just climbed up and sat down. I was so confused, but Happiny explained it to Meredith. And she told me that Happiny thinks Hestia is lonely, so Happiny was going to keep her company. Hestia didn't looked thrilled with the idea, but she didn't throw Happiny away.

I asked Meredith how could she be lonely? I was always with Hestia. Meredith made a good point though, people get lonely traveling even if they have their Pokémon. Pokémon can have the same problem. Sometimes it's nice to be around someone of your own kind, or more like you than your trainer. I wonder what happened to make Hestia feel that way all of a sudden? She only started acting like this a few weeks ago, but we haven't seen another Charmander line Pokémon in a couple years. Or, maybe, she's always felt like this. Have I just not noticed? With how much I've been taking care of Benedict, have I been ignoring Hestia? Why am I only now thinking of this? I need to apologize to Hestia for not being a good trainer. Heck, for not being a good friend.

Back to earlier, Meredith finally introduced herself as a member of the Joy family. That's when my brain blew up from figuring out how I recognized her. To explain, I need to go back even further. When I was six, I'm pretty sure I was six, a different Joy came to Pallet Town. She was at least twenty and had a Chansey with her. There was a town meeting or something where she brought up a bunch of figures and statistics, and went on and on about the regions of the world and lasting peace. I was not paying attention very well. But she did talk about Pokémon and about how there aren't enough people who know how to treat them when they're hurt.

Meredith Joy filled in the blanks. The Joys are a huge family of Pokémon care professionals, going back at least five generations. They didn't just write the book on Pokémon care and treatment, they wrote all of the books. Every female member of their family is taught about the needs of every kind of Pokémon. Pokémon from every region around the world. They're respected enough, that even during the war, they were allowed into the territory of both sides. The Joys didn't approve of the wars, but they were going to happen whether they liked it or not. So they had to help as much as they could. That's how Meredith put it.

But then, what was a Joy doing giving a speech in Pallet Town after the war? The family matriarch has decided to fulfill her dream. There are Pokémon hospitals in major cities and there are medical degrees that are all about Pokémon anatomy and health, but they say there aren't enough. So, get this, they want to open up Pokémon Health and Treatment Clinics all over the world. Not just in cities, but in small towns and in the long roads between towns. The Joy family would personally oversee all of them and train employees how to treat Pokémon injuries. And the most unbelievable part, they want them to be free. No payment from trainers required, because Pokémon deserve help no matter the trainer.

I mean, wow. Talk about impossible goals. Now, I get it, I really do. Despite how much everyone loves Pokémon, I've only ever seen a few hospitals that can take them in. Most trainers, like me, either rely on time to heal Pokémon or potions. But not all potions work well, and some brands don't do anything. I would LOVE to have a place to take my Pokémon after a battle to heal them up or for them to be checked out after being out on the road for a few weeks. But to have them everywhere, in every region, and not charge for it, that's crazy!

Meredith had heard that before. She doesn't know if they can really do it. It's never been a good time for them to try. Between the stubborn governments and wars and travel expenses and not enough Joys to to go around, they've never had the chance. But now Florence Joy, the matriarch, thinks they can do it. And Meredith wants to do everything she can to make it happen. Ah, that's why she's here on the boat, and why that other one was in Pallet. The family sent out representatives to towns and cities and villages to ask for support. Either for local funding to build the clinics, or at least for the permission of the local governments to have them built. Like me, everyone thinks it's a nice idea, but not doable. Almost no one is willing to back them. They say "do it somewhere else first, then you can do it here". And the regional governments aren't willing to force the clinics on the towns without a good reason. Meredith's job is to promote the clinics to small towns and to ask them to ask the higher up governments to support them. I feel like I'm writing in circles, but I think that's what she said.

She does understand Pokémon. And she was awfully friendly. We spent the rest of the day talking and playing with Hestia. I'll see her tomorrow. Maybe, since her family is so well studied, she can answer all those things that I can't find in the libraries!

Oh yeah, and she told me about the fight the other day. You know, the Drapion and the Sandslash. The Drapion was just like Muk, a veteran of the war. Both them and the trainer. Meredith doesn't know who started it, but both the trainers are still set in the mindset from back then. They got angry and couldn't help but fight. I've heard that kind of explanation before, but I don't understand it. How can you hate someone you don't know? Why would you want to hate someone, just because they're from somewhere you used to be at war with? It's not their fault. This is why I prefer Pokémon sometimes.

-Samuel Oak

January 28, 1961

Dear Ash,

Today wasn't great. Mostly the one part of it. For the last couple of days, we've been stuck in some kind of cold spot. It hasn't been snowing constantly, but there's more than I expected to see out on the ocean. At these temperatures I keep expecting us to run into an iceberg. We don't appear to be slowing down, as far as I can tell. It's only a few more days to Sunyshore City and I'm kind of eager to get there.

The cold has been hard on Hestia especially. Within a few minutes of being out on deck, even she starts to shiver. She can't use fire attacks to stay warm, she only has her tail flame. Even with that, I can't be out there for more than twenty minutes. And she still isn't allowed inside the ship without being in a Pokéball. I'm afraid that leaving her alone so much of the time will only make her feel worse than she already does. That's why today, I made a stupid mistake. We were outside in the snow and wind, for more than an hour. Maybe not that long, I didn't really check the time. It just felt like it.

We were curled up together, trying to stay warm. And then, when I saw her tail flame, I panicked. It was so small. It reminded me of a candle. A CANDLE! Growing up, we were always told to never to let a Charmander line Pokémon's tail go out. I put her back in her Pokéball right away and ran to find Meredith. We've been talking every day, so I knew where she would be. When I found her and told her, she brought me to the cargo hold.

Then, she broke the rules. Meredith got all of the Pokémon to surround us so no one would see me let Hestia out. Looking back, I'm impressed how in control she was. Meredith examined Hestia for forever. It made my time in the snow feel like nothing. When I couldn't take it anymore I asked if Hestia was going to be okay. Meredith shushed me, and finished before she answered. She gave Hestia a special kind of potion from her bag and wrapped her in a blanket.

Meredith said Hestia would be fine, she was just too cold. Hestia needed to stay out of her Pokéball and get back to her normal temperature. She almost yelled at me that just because Hetia is a fire type, that doesn't mean she can't freeze like anything else. There was more about how irresponsible I was, which would have upset me if I wasn't holding onto Hestia for dear life. When I knew she was okay, I felt the sun had suddenly been born.

Eventually, I asked why her flame was still small and if we could do anything, like maybe stick it in a furnace. It was the first thing I thought of, okay? That's when my life became a lie. Meredith told me Charmeleon don't die if their flame goes out. Otherwise, they would dead after their first rain or bath or battle with a water type. She said that it looks true, but is a misunderstanding that people won't stop repeating. That and a lot more Pokémon myths aren't actually true. Charmeleon create their flame as part of their bodily functions, some kind of chemical thing that keeps them warm. It's not healthy for the flame to be put out, but unless the Pokémon isn't already weak it isn't fatal. It does take a while to light it back up though. She said the reason people think it will kill them is that they go too far in battles before putting out the fire, then they don't have the strength to relight it and freeze to death during the when it's hot out. And, since their body creates the flame, when a Charmeleon gets old and becomes less active, they can't maintain it. By that point, they're already near death and the flame going out is just the last push. Or it goes out right when they die for other reasons.

Normally I would have found it all interesting, if disturbing. Watching it play out in front of me, though, made it too real. It was comforting, in a way, to know Hestia wasn't in that much danger. Still, maybe Meredith shouldn't have said all that right then. Maybe I shouldn't have asked. I don't ever want to think about my Hestia dieing. Ever. I'll be more careful. And I'll learn everything Meredith can teach me about taking care of her. And Benedict. I'll put on a wig and become a Joy if I have to.

-Samuel Oak

February 1, 1961

Dear Ash,

Tonight, we arrived. And that's as far as we got. It wasn't as grand as I had expected. When I got to Unova, we got off the boat in the morning and were done with all of the interviews and paperwork with plenty of daylight left. This time, the sun had been down for a while before we came ashore. I was still up, no way I would miss that. I couldn't see the docks for the longest time. The lighthouse, though, I could see that for miles. I wouldn't take my eyes off it. When I close my eyes, I can almost still see it burned into them. It's hard to believe that we're actually here, in this building, in this region. A place that so many people from Kanto have only seen because of the war. I'm in Sinnoh! Heck yeah!

The government can't believe it either. I was answering questions, filling out paperwork, being examined, having Hestia and Benedict examined, and lots of waiting in line, for the last five hours. I was afraid I might not get to a place to sleep before the sun came up again. At least they had a space set up in the hostel waiting for passengers. Some of the others, like Meredith, went through quickly which gave me false hope. No, since I'm originally from Kanto, there's no way they'll just let me waltz in and do as I please. Gaven, another passenger from Kanto who I met in line is still there. He was worried they might assign him a watcher while he's here. I think that was supposed to be a joke, but it became less funny the longer we waited. I think the only reason I was let go was that I'm still a kid. I'm probably not a spy or a secret weapon. Probably.

I was showing Meredith my sketchbook and trying to ask her all the things I've been wondering about while we waited. She liked the book, saying it reminded her of Professor Westwood. I'm pretty sure I've run into that name before, but I can't remember where or when. He's a member of the Westwood family, duh, they're kind of like the Joys. Except the Westwoods do more studying of Pokémon behavior and documentation than healthcare. The two families have had strong ties for a while now, sharing just about everything they know. I'd like to read one of his books, but that won't happen anytime soon. Meredith doesn't have one, and they aren't sold in Sinnoh.

She got loose way before I did, since she's a Joy. And she isn't originally from Kanto, I guess. That makes me wonder, where are the Joys from? I'll have to ask her. Anyway, I'm barely keeping my eyes open at this point. I just really wanted to tell you I was here. Looking back, there wasn't that much to say. I should've waited until tomorrow. Oh well. Goodnight.

-Samuel Oak

February 2, 1961

Dear Ash,

I'm here, I'm finally here! Of all the places I've ever wanted to go, this was always the last one I thought I'd get to see. Sinnoh. I can reach out and touch it. I can feel it under my feet. I can taste it in the air. That last one is not as pleasant. The air can be grimy or chalky. It's actually kind of gross. But everything else is great. I ran around the city looking in shops and trying the food. The buildings aren't as spectacular as Castelia City, but I don't think anything can top those.

Strangely enough, the buildings look more like classical Kanto style buildings. The doors and roofs are different, but the way the rooms are arranged is almost identical. I never thought about that when I was in Unova, but their house were different. I should point out that the only houses I went into today were the Hirafu House and the Matsumae building, which are both on the older side. They have historical importance, so they give tours and are in very good condition. Maybe I'll get to see a modern residence soon. I haven't made any friends yet, but I'm sure I will.

I found out there's some kind of snow sculpture competition in Jubilife City right now. That's all the way on the other side of the region. I'd never make it in time.

There were new and old Pokémon everywhere I looked. I saw a cat one, blue in front and black in back, with yellow crosses in its ears. I tried to pet it, but it bit and shocked me. The people it was with didn't care. I guess that'll teach me not to get close without asking permission. Except it didn't. Later I found a huddle of Pokémon wearing coats! It's pretty cold, you know. They walked on all fours, and had noses that were almost as big as the rest of their bodies. I could have stuck my hand inside one of their nostrils. Which I think their trainer thought I was going to do, so she told me to get lost and mushed them away.

On the street, I saw a couple of women putting on a dance show to the music of Pokémon. Two bugs that looked like they were wearing suits, playing with their antennae. And three others that looked just like the first two, but taller, with longer limbs, and their antennae had turned into a mustache. While they were performing, I was able to sketch all of them together. It's rare that I don't have to ask Pokémon to stand still. After they were done, I found out the Pokémon were called Kricketot and Kricketune. They're all bug type and they use melodies to talk. I don't think Benedict liked them. And both the dancers and the Pokémon didn't like Hestia. But fire and bug types don't always get along, so I understand.

My jaw actually hurts from smiling. This must be what it's like to be Benedict. Some of the time, at least. He was excited too, it's all new to him. He's just excited about anything new, though. He did seem nervous at the same time. I carried him everywhere and I wasn't watching him closely, but I think each time I looked down at him, a different set of heads were hiding their faces.

Hestia didn't enjoy herself as much as we did. At first I was worried that she was too cold, but she made it clear she was fine. The whole day, she was standoffish. I don't want to baby her, she feels lonely, and calling a lot of attention to it might make her feel worse. Instead, I tried to include her in as much as I could. Like seeing places and new Pokémon. Near the end of the day, I decided to slow down and offer Hestia a chance to rest. I noticed then, that she was kind of shaky and almost staring at people. And then I saw that people were doing it back. Maybe they had been all day. I wasn't paying attention to it, but I'm sure everyone has been walking around us since we left the hostel. And they've been, not rude, but not polite either. Hestia picked up on it first, I think, because it was happening directly to her. People are staring. Maybe even glaring. I don't like it, and I can't imagine how Hestia is feeling.

That's when I decided to cut the day short. Hestia's more cheerful now, but I can see her glancing around the room we share with a few other trainers. They're giving her a different look. Not mean, but something else I think. She and Benedict are back in their balls for the night. I don't think we could sleep, wondering what they were thinking.

Still, it wasn't a bad day. More exploring tomorrow. And I have to remember to buy a guide book. And maps of the area. Ooh, there's so much to do, I can't wait.

-Samuel Oak

February 3, 1961

Dear Ash,

This morning, I struck out on my own. I left the city behind for the day and journeyed to gaze upon the wonder of Sunyshore City, the Pokémon Rock. An odd choice of title, since the rock in question is more than hour's walk from the city border. Sure, Sunyshore is the closest place, but it isn't IN the city. The name "the Pokémon Rock" is also misleading when you think about it. It's shaped like A Pokémon, Munchlax. Why not call it "the Munchlax Rock"? Have you ever seen a Munchlax, Ash? It's the first stage of Snorlax. That's a weird thought, why is the evolved form more well known? It's usually the other way around.

Right, the rock. This part of the coast has rock pillars everywhere in the water. The Pokémon Rock is one that has somehow been shaped into the form of a Munchlax! And it's just, there! No one carved it, or there's no record of it being carved. The "current" explanation is that the ocean waves carved it into a shape that just happens to look like a Munchlax. It sure does look like it though. I was talking to Heather, who had gone to see it too, and we agreed that it was as if even the ocean was saying that it likes Pokémon. I drew a picture of Hestia and Benedict acting like they were playing with the Munchlax. I really proud of that. Be sure to tell me when you get to this part.

Hestia was doing much better, outside of the city. That's the real reason we came today. I was just going to pass by the rock on our way to the next town, but now felt like the right time. The open air, while chilly, gave us some much needed space. We're too used to being on the road by ourselves. Cities can be constricting. Hestia had a great time blowing fire at the snow left over from last night. There was even a spot where the snow was deep enough for Benedict to dive in. He would pop his heads out one at a time while Hestia and I tried to grab him. There wasn't enough to build a snow-mon, though.

About four other people went and saw the Pokémon Rock when we were there. Besides that one I talked about the rock with, everyone was still staying away from us. But not Heather. She was actually excited to see me. Okay, she was excited to see Hestia. I don't know how I could have forgotten, after all people in Unova had pretty much the same reaction. Charmeleon live almost exclusively in Kanto. They're pretty rare, in Johto most had only ever seen one or two in their lives. I never knew how rare they were until I got to Unova. Remember how I said everyone was so excited to see her there. Because she's a foreign Pokémon. And she's still foreign in Sinnoh. Even more so.

Which led me to why we've been getting bad looks. The only time Charmeleon have been in Sinnoh, was during the war. We're like invaders. Remember, I think I was writing these then, back when I met that girl with a pink slug Pokémon? It was so long ago, I can't even remember what it was called. I remember how I felt when I found out it was from Sinnoh. I was terrified. I couldn't believe an "enemy" Pokémon was living in Johto. Or something like that. Charmeleon are part of a strong line and like I said, only come from Kanto. Now I'm the the "enemy". It's sort of like "duh" now. But I swear it didn't even enter my mind. This is going to be more stressful than I thought.

Heather, on the other hand, was thrilled to see a Charmeleon. She'd only ever read about them. And she wasn't shy about getting up close and personal with Hestia. She did not make it out unscathed. Her Pokémon was a Luxio, which I'm guessing is the evolved form of that blue cat from yesterday. Luxio is bigger and has a black mane. Heather and I stayed there for a while, sharing what various Pokémon from our homes were like. I kind of wish I wrote hers down now. I hope I can meet more trainers like her in Sinnoh. If we can move past the war and just embrace our shared love of Pokémon, I think the world would be a much better place.

Side note, Heather told me why the air tasted funky in the city. It's old, and the residents don't want to upgrade apparently. Way back in the early days of coal power, they built a bunch of coal powered power plants within the city limits. At the time, it was a great idea, everyone in the city had electricity. The first to do so in Sinnoh. But they haven't built new ones since and they've been breaking down, causing more smog each year. Heather didn't know why they wouldn't upgrade, just that they haven't.

I spent most of my evening with Meredith. She's been busy getting updates from the city government about their possible plans for Pokémon Health and Treatment Clinics being built in the city, and if they will support a region wide program. She was lucky not to have to go through all the paperwork I did when we arrived, but now I guess that's all she's doing now. The Joy family is counting on her to follow up on the work that previous Joys did in Sinnoh a few years ago. Meredith has a schedule for when she has to be in each town and everything. This isn't a journey for her, it's work. Scary. She told me all about where she's going, and some of them are where I was planning to go. I still haven't bought a travel guide, but I may end up asking Meredith if I can go along with her. I haven't had a travel companion since Kelly and Druddigon. And there's so much I still haven't gotten around to asking Meredith about Pokémon.

That's for tomorrow though. Goodnight, Ash.

-Samuel Oak


	11. February 6-February 26

February 6, 1961

Dear Ash,

Wouldn't you know it, snow. It's been snowing for almost two whole days. It reminds me of last year, when I got stuck in the forest with that constant snowfall for a couple days and we almost ran out of food. This is heavier than that, it reached the windows this morning. Times like these are when you really start to appreciate heaters and fire type Pokemon. Hestia has been out of her Pokeball the whole time.

Same for a number of other Pokemon. Numel, which looks like a overstuffed stuffed animal with the belly facing the wrong way, gave off so much heat that it damaged the floor. I think it was a move called Overheat? The trainer was asked to put it away. Not that anyone could stand within ten feet of it when it was doing that. I've only ever heard of Numel, they seem friendly, in a Miltank kind of way.

Another Pokemon I had only ever heard of was there, Talonflame. It's a big, intimidating, red and grey, bird of prey. This thing could beat Hestia in a wrestling match and then carry her away for dinner. I might be exaggerating, but that Talonflame didn't look like they would have shied away from the challenge. It set itself ablaze and flew around the lobby. I can only describe the sound it was making as laughing like a madman, in bird. I did manage a sketch when it took a break.

However, the tables have been turned. Usually, I'm the one going up to everyone and pestering them with questions about their Pokemon. And I would have, except everyone was doing that to me and Hestia. Trainers in Unova loved her for sure, but these people were way more over the top. I was quizzed on her age, evolutionary line, attacks, diet, and even her favorite places to be scratched. Multiple times each. There was poking and petting and examining. I couldn't tell if Hestia was enjoying it or not. She's never been shy and likes people. There were just so many at once. I could barely fend them all off. I guess they've just been waiting for a good reason to talk to us, because I've shared this building and meals with them for days.

As nervous as it all made me, it really made me happy to see how many trainers simply love Pokemon. They're able to look past the fact that we're from Kanto and just embrace how great Pokemon are. I made so many new friends in only a few hours. And don't think I won't use that to get a good look at their Pokemon later, you know me better than that Ash.

Not everyone was thrilled to see Hestia, though. Most of the older trainers and travelers clearly weren't happy with us being there. Or how much attention Hestia was getting. No one made a scene, but no one hid their feelings either. I think I should be careful about how much exposure she gets.

I had a bunch of downtime, with all the staying inside. So I marked a bunch of places on my map where I'd like to go. A few notable spots include Metagross Mountain, the Lakes Acuity, Verity, and Valor, the Celestic Ruins, the Drifblim Cloud Surfing Festival, the Frozen Falls, and Hearthome City. And the Great Marsh, which I just almost remember someone telling me about once, so now I have to see it. There are a few more, but those are some of the highlights. Next, I actually need to plot a course. But I'll save that, in case the snow doesn't stop by tomorrow.

-Samuel Oak

February 7, 1961

Dear Ash,

I just got a huge offer, Ash. The kind of thing that you think about but never really expect, like the freezer in an ice cream shop breaking so everything is half price. How can I still want ice cream when I have to put on three shirts to stay warm? I'm probably just excited because Meredith asked me to travel Sinnoh with her! I get to see the wonders of Sinnoh with the nicest, smartest girl I've ever met.

We've been talking almost everyday since we got here. Mostly when she gets back to the hostel after doing her official Joy family business. That's also one of the main topics we discuss. There are several local groups pushing for the clinic to be built, but the problem always comes back to the money. And that isn't the only obstacle. They need the space and the approval of high ranking individuals that don't believe in the project. They're afraid of outsiders, like the Joys, trying to push their own beliefs and desires onto the city. And a whole bunch of other stuff.

We also talk about Pokemon. Meredith explained that Pokemons' bodies are different than a humans and react to different chemicals. Potions contain things found inside of Pokemon already, but that normally take time to react and repair damage. By spraying this stuff directly onto the wounded area, the Pokemon can make use of the mixture and heal more quickly. Meredith used more words than that, but I think that's what she was saying.

I have so much to learn from her. I was surprised when she asked me to go with her. I thought I would be a nuisance, but she really does want me to go. Meredith said she likes how much I care for the well being of Pokemon. And she called my 'inquisitive nature' cute. Cute isn't a word I hear much, but I don't mind it. There are way more stops that Meredith needs to make and on specific dates, so we would always be stopping for days and then going to the next place quickly. Some of the places I want to go to aren't actually towns or cities, but we can split up and meet at a town later if we need to. Since she'll be going all over, I don't think I'll miss any big towns in the region.

Do you think I should do it, Ash? Too late! I already said yes. We leave in three days!

What did I do the rest of the day, you ask? I played in the snow with a Pokemon of course! Since the snow stopped falling in the middle of the night, the townsfolk have been working hard to clear it from the streets. Some had shovels, others used Pokemon. Big Pokemon, like Skuntank which is a four legged Pokemon with a puffy mohawk down its back, were pushing the snow into piles. A smaller pokemon that looked like a tree stump wearing a hat made of snow were helping. Then there were a few fire types, like Magby, melting the snow in some places. I was going to have Hestia help, but then I thought better of it.

While I was out, I found a wild Pokemon. I think it was wild, since there was no trainer to be seen. This Pokemon was a cat, with gray fur, a crescent moon shaped head, and a long springy tail. I found it after a Skuntank plowed a mound of snow to the edge of the street. It popped out its little paw and meowed. I heard it and dug it out, and it tried to scratch me for my trouble. I had to plead my innocence in between Fury Swipes. It was not having any talk back. Eventually, it realized I hadn't put it in there and it went to tear up the Skuntank instead. Poor thing. When the Pokemon, who I found out later was a Glameow, was done it came back and pretended to notice me for the first time. It purred and demanded to be pet.

Next thing I know, I'm chasing it through the unplowed snow. Glameow liked to dig down and hide in there. Then it would burst out, jumping five feet at a time, back into the snow. I made a snow angel and Glameow would try to pounce at my hands and feet. I thought it might be funny to throw a snowball at it, Glameow didn't think so. It whacked me with its tail, hard. Once it let me hold it again, I spent an hour petting and trying to get all of the snow out of its fur. I was even brave enough to take off my gloves to pet it. It was so soft, like petting, well, a cat. A very cold cat. I hope I get to see that Glameow again before I leave the city. It would be nice to say a proper goodbye, since it just ran off for no reason.

Tomorrow I have shopping to do. And now that I know when I'm leaving, I should probably stock up on things I need for the road. Winter is one of the hardest times to travel. Too cold not to bring a ton of supplies, but carrying it all of it makes you so hot you want to ditch it all and dive into the snow like Glameow. And before I go, I want to learn about all the Pokemon staying at the hostel. My turn to ask unending questions.

-Samuel Oak

February 10, 1961

Dear Ash,

Have you ever noticed how in the winter, the sun never rises when it's supposed to? I don't pay attention to the time when I first wake up, I get up when the sun wakes me. This morning, Meredith wanted to leave at eight o'clock. I thought it would be fine and that I would be wide awake and already have eaten and everything. Then, it's seven o'clock, Meredith has come into the boys rooms without permission, to wake me up so we can leave on time. It was still dark out. I guess I just assumed every morning when I got up that it was the same time. Well, nope. Meredith asked if I had ever actually looked at a clock before, and swear I have. Like I said, I just don't in the morning, apparently.

Here we are now, out in the wild. And by 'in the wild', I mean the tent that Meredith brought. She doesn't want to freeze or something. It's really nice, actually. Except when I was with Liam, I usually slept out in the open. But during the winter that can be dangerous, even with Hestia to warm me up. I know how to build snow shelters, I've told you about them. The tent is more convenient, though. Funny story, the entrance is actually open a bit, because Hestia warmed it up so much we started to sweat. Meredith thinks ahead, she bought a flame resistant mat for Hestia to put her tail on it the night. Hestia can't roll around or shift like she normally would, but I'd rather not have the tent burn down, thank you.

Benedict and Happiny are still the best of friends. Sometimes I think she might just be a bigger Exeggcute head that joined him when I wasn't looking. When she isn't being interrupted by Benedict, Happiny has been doing her darndest to talk to Hestia the whole day. I think this is the first time I've heard Hestia say the words 'I want to be alone'. But you know, in Charmeleon.

At some point, we were talking about how the ice type Pokemon must be loving the weather. And the subject turned into, how to tell if an ice type is too hot and what to do. First of all, most ice types don't sweat. They live in cold environments, a warm summer day isn't something their bodies were prepared to encounter. The first sign you'll see for most is heavy breathing. Followed by extreme tiredness. In theory, they can use the special attacks Pokemon have to cool their surroundings, but that's not always enough or they might get too tired before they have the chance. Like how Charmeleon can't relight their flames if they're worn out from battle.

But what do you do? Get it out of the heat of course. I literally said "duh", but Meredith insisted that even though it's obvious, it's important. Get the Pokemon into a space away from the warmth. If you can put them into a contained area, like a small room or a box if need be, where hot air can't get in easily, the Pokemon's ice type moves will be more effective at cooling themselves down. On top of that, bring in whatever you can to cool down the contained space for them, like ice or cold water. Cold food and drinks are also recommended, but not too much at once. Meredith herself has an ointment that absorbs heat pretty well. That's more of a 'take the edge off' kind of medicine. It is not a substitute for taking the Pokemon out of the heat.

After a lot of walking and talking, I can't think of a good way to wrap up this letter. So I'll just say good night, Ash.

-Samuel Oak

February 16, 1961

Dear Ash,

I need thicker gloves. I have the same type I had last winter in Unova and they worked just fine then. Too bad for me, Sinnoh has colder winters. Or maybe this winter is just colder. Either way, my hands have been turning into icicles lately. I remember taking my gloves off all the time before, because you know how hiking everywhere can make you sweaty even in the cold. Not the case lately. Just cold hands. My body heats up I guess, but not as much. Maybe I should rethink my whole outfit, not just my gloves. Hestia warms me back up when I need her to. Then she gets cold from being outside, and naked. Meredith hasn't had any troubles, probably because of all the gear her family gave her.

Meredith is very close with her family. The Joys as a clan all work and teach each other. Almost all the women are Pokemon care expects, after all. It's kind of their thing. All of her schooling, from basic stuff to advanced Pokemon knowledge, were taught by Joys. And all of her classmates were Joys. But she's even closer to her immediate family. Meredith has two sisters, one older and one younger. Tabitha, the older sister, left home for her role in the Pokémon Health and Treatment Clinics plan a few years ago, when she was fifteen. Meredith hasn't seen her sister for almost three years now. But they write every chance they get. They swap stories of adventures and new people and exciting places. Right now, Tabitha is in a smaller region that doesn't have a strong presence on the global scale, which sounds like a weird phrase to me. But I guess that has something to do with why I've never heard of it before. And there are new Pokemon I've never heard of either, ghost types that eat rocks, a water type buffalo that erupts steam every few hours, and a Pokemon that looks like a rock with cracks, but is actually an ice type that can fold and unfold itself.

Sorry, got off topic. Meredith's other sister is still in training at home. She has to go through another three years of school and then an apprenticeship and then travel with another, far more experienced Joy, for a year before she can have her own assignment. That is, if she wants to. Meredith says that the family business is a choice, but it sounds to me like they aren't really given many other options. Meredith said her sister could choose to stay and do research or be a full time nurse, but aren't those just other jobs in the same business? She doesn't see it. Maybe I wasn't explaining it right. I did try.

Now that I can feel my fingers, I can tell you about the Electabuzz we found. It was early this morning, and we had been walking near the cliff edge for a little while. I was trying to keep an eye on Happiny and Benedict. I think she taught him a game, they've sort of been acting strange and collecting things, only to set them up in a shape that they move around. I haven't been able to figure out the rules and Happiny won't even try to explain. While I was doing that, Meredith spotted a strange mound in the snow. It didn't look strange to me at first, but later she pointed out that the shape was off for it to be a rock underneath and there weren't any other mounds, so it wasn't moved there by anything. Anything other than what was inside, that is.

Before I knew what was happening, Meredith returned Happiny to her Pokeball. Benedict didn't like that. He was going to complain, until she made the most terrifying and commanding shushing sounds I've ever heard. He couldn't argue at with that at all. Neither could I. Meredith had me return Benedict and follow her. Quietly, we snuck up on the pile of snow. She walked around it a few times, searching for a thinner spot she said afterwards. When she found it, she began to dig into it. The pile was pretty big, at least a few feet thick, and she dug into it from the side, making a hole only big enough for her arm for fit in. When she got deeper, Meredith actually pulled out a spoon to get through the tighter stuff.

When she stopped, she told me to look inside. I could just barely see it, but I know that yellow and black stripe pattern for sure. An Electabuzz! Darn it, I already said what it was earlier. Forget I said that before. It was an Electabuzz, in a snow shelter! I've never seen a wild one. And it was asleep. I got excited, but Meredith kept me quiet. She took off her glove and put her hand in front of the hole, I did the same, and you know what? It was warm. Then Meredith filled it back in and we left.

Once we got far away, Meredith explained. Electabuzz hibernate during the winter. And they have a very special way of doing it. Lots of Pokemon and animals get fat before winter and live off of that while they sleep, somehow. But they have to either find a cave or dig a hole in the ground to sleep in, in the hope that the cold won't get to them too much. Electabuzz have a different way of doing it. They still each a ton before hibernating, but they don't need to bury themselves. They make a hole with the snow and seal themselves in. Which is almost exactly how I was taught how to survive in the snow. And they stay warm by using the electricity their body creates naturally and running it through a specific kind of rock. The rock heats up and provides enough warmth to keep the Electabuzz alive until spring. Isn't that a crazy way of doing it? Crazy and cool, though. Thinking about it again makes me want to draw it. I didn't see much, but I think I can get it right and fill in the blanks if I need to.

We're almost at the next town. It's one of the ones Meredith needs to work in for a while, so I'll have to find something to do. But I don't think it will be that hard. I can even go wandering in the woods if I want. Maybe I'll find more sleeping Pokemon!

-Samuel Oak

February 20, 1961

Dear Ash,

We were delayed because of a flash snow storm and the things it put in our way. But, we made it. We're safely inside. Not just any inside, either. The town doesn't have a hostel, which would have sucked for me, except that they've been expecting Meredith. The mayor has the biggest house in town and he offered to let us, Meredith mostly, stay with his family while Meredith does her thing. We're in separate rooms of course. As if I don't share a tent with her already. But that's how it always is. My room looks more like a closet, though.

The mayor's place is more of a traditional house. It's been around for more than a hundred years in fact. Once again, I'm shocked at how much like an old Kanto style house it is. Every room is right where it should be and the furniture looks the same too. Unova chairs were hard and unnaturally tall, here there are cushions anywhere you might sit. Again, old house though. I want to see inside a more recently built one. No such luck in this town. Most of the families have lived here for generations, in the same houses. And any time they've added more, they're done in the traditional style, according to the mayor.

He didn't like me asking questions. When he found out where I was from, he nearly threw me out. The only reason I was able to stay is because Meredith is so good at talking to people. I think it goes without saying, Hestia hasn't made an appearance. I think I was lucky to get dinner. The mayor's daughter and her husband were friendlier. She traveled in Kalos when she was my age, and meet a few people from Kanto there. Still, I could tell they weren't completely relaxed around me. Like, they were sitting wrong or something, I couldn't put my finger on it.

Their daughter, on the other 'finger', was great. Her name is Sarah and she is six years old. I'm quite sure about that, she said it several times. Another thing Sinnoh has in common with Kanto, heaters. They like to put them under the table and a heavy blanket, just like we did back home. It was kind of great to sit there with my feet getting all nice and toasty. I think the one at my house was bigger. But that didn't stop me from nearly climbing underneath and falling asleep. The reason I didn't was that Sarah beat me to it. She and Benedict and Happiny hogged all the space under there.

Sarah's really sweet, though. She plays the flute and wants to be mayor when she grows up. Actually, it's weird, Sarah doesn't want to travel. Everyone I can think of couldn't wait to set off and travel the world at her age. You get your own Pokemon, a little money, and a sleeping bag and you're off. It terrifying and awesome all at the same time. But she just doesn't. Sarah never wants to leave town, as a matter of fact. She likes it here. She wants to work hard and make her home the best it can be.

Strangely, it bothers me. I can't think of why it should. I've met people who never went on a journey when they were kids, and they're just fine. But I don't know, I feel weird about how Sarah has no sense of adventure. It's almost creepy. That's probably the wrong word, but you understand, right Ash?

That aside, I'm looking forward to tomorrow. Sarah's parents, whose names I cannot for the life of me remember, are going to show me around town. It's the dead of winter, so there isn't much to do, but it'll still be cool I think. Get it, "cool"? Funny, right? Yeah, it is.

-Samuel Oak

February 21, 1961

Dear Ash,

Just as I suspected, not much to do. They really aren't big on the whole tourist thing in this town. Maybe that's something they are hoping to fix with a clinic? But it doesn't seem like anyone wants more tourists. So I can only guess they want a clinic for their own Pokemon. Like most towns and villages, Pokemon are kept for labor more than anything else. Maybe they don't even want a clinic. Meredith never did say one way or the other. Still, I don't think a clinic would be a bad idea.

So yeah, the town is quiet. There aren't many shops, and the ones that aren't all about farming or building stuff, are for food. Not restaurants, just butchers and bakeries and groceries. There was one tailor, but they were all out of winter gear. No new clothing or gloves for me. It was warm today, at least. Warm by winter standards.

My day out was spent with Sarah and her dad. We went to the shops. Then we looked at the fields, which are impressive to look at, even when they're covered in snow. I wanted to see the Pokemon, but he said they're all being kept inside and not to be disturbed. I think he might just not want me near them. Am I thinking about it too much?

We had fun anyway. Sarah and I tried to build a fort. We made four walls and got them up to Sarah's waist before we gave up. We'd run out of snow. If we wanted to continue, we would have had to walk back and forth thirty feet to get it. Instead we had a snowball fight, which I may have started. We were behind the walls of the fort, scooping out clumps to use as balls. Sarah's dad joined her side, so I decided it was okay for Benedict to be on my team. He scooped them and I formed them. I even got clever and had two of his heads be lookouts, letting me know when to throw. I would have won, if I had had more throwing arms.

The no traveling thing was still bugging me, and I brought it up again. Sarah's dad didn't seem to like me questioning her. However, Sarah had a great reply, why should she have to travel? And why was I on a journey? And you know what, I didn't have a good answer. I tried to say things about loving Pokemon and seeing new places, but I nothing felt right. I don't really know why I left home. I know I always wanted to. I know I wanted to see new Pokemon and places and people. But I've never had a goal or destination. Going on a journey was one of those things you just did. No reason, you just do. I am enjoying myself, and there's more I want to do. It would be nice to have a purpose, though. Like how Meredith has her work with her family, or how Agatha was studying ghost and poison type Pokemon. Sarah gave me something to think about.

Snow forts and snowballs aside, I didn't do much of anything today. And yet, I may have done everything there is to do in town. I don't know what I'll do tomorrow. Meredith said she needs at least three more days, if not more. I hope I don't go mad from boredom.

-Samuel Oak

February 23, 1961

Dear Ash,

I admit it, I went mad with boredom. The only thing I found entertaining was Sarah. And I couldn't spend all of my time with her. Her grandfather didn't care for how much time I was spending with her already. There was nothing to do! So I left. Maybe I overreacted. I've spent way more time in small villages before and I don't think I had this big a problem with it. For some reason, I just wanted out.

Last night I talked it over with Meredith and we're going to meet up again at a mountain a few days from town. It's supposed to be covered in caves, one of which has a traveler's shrine outside it. It's a good place to spend the night, according to the mayor. In case you're wondering what I'll do to prevent boredom once I get there, I plan to take the long way. There's a waterfall that's out of the way that I'd like to see. I'm planning on seeing the Frozen Falls, if I get there in time. I like to think of this as a preview of things to come.

Hestia hadn't been able to stretch her legs for a while, you can imagine how glad she was to get out. I didn't feel comfortable having her out in the open in town, and she's been stuck in her Pokeball for almost three days. At least on the ship ride here, Hestia could go above deck for a few hours. I had only meant to let her walk and play for an hour or so this time, but she's insisted on not going back. Benedict was too cold to stay out, and he has the heart of an explorer. If I had a Pokeball for myself, I'd be in there right now. But not Hestia.

It is nice to see her be more energetic. She's been so sad lately. I don't want to assume that she's over it, just because she's acting happier. But I'd like to hope.

We stopped several times to huddle together to get warm. Fire types are great in the winter. Flamethrower to get rid of the snow and then a long, low Ember to warm you up. Don't worry, I kept an eye on her tail and how hot she was. That's why we stopped so often. I don't want to repeat what happened on the ship. I think she said something about me babying her, but I pretended not to understand. For once, that works in my favor.

Did you think I would write to you without having an adventure, Ash? I have, I guess. Not this time, though! Meer hours ago, Hestia and I were resting. She had some problem with the way my hair looked and was trying to fix it and I wasn't letting her. We heard a crunch. A loud one that came from, everywhere. Not a cracking crunch, more like a crinkling crunch. Does that make sense? It was the crunching of snow, but way louder, which is what confused us. It happened again and again, and we figured out that it was coming from a certain direction. We forgot about our little fight and followed it. Once we got closer, we could also hear the barking of little dogs.

What we found, was so cute! In front of an ice covered rock face, were these two Pokemon. I know, big surprise. They had big buck teeth and fluffy hair around their whole face, the rest of their bodies were brown and round. They also had snow sticking to them everywhere, but I don't know if that was supposed to be there or not. You can never tell with Pokemon. What I was sure of was their tails. Big, round, and flat. Kind of like a Wobbuffet's tail, if it were more than half the size of the rest of its body. The two were having great fun slapping their huge tails down onto the snow. Which is where the crunching was coming from. Snow can be loud, I guess, maybe, but this was something else. Like a crunchy slap to the face.

But they weren't doing it for themselves. With them were about five little Houndours. You know what a Houndour is, right Ash. You should, I met you in Johto. Though, I don't actually know where you're from. I'll just assume you know.

I've never seen puppy Houndours at this time of year, their more common in summer from what I remember. Anyway, the puppies would jump every time the big Pokemon slapped down their tails, as if they were shocked by it. They might have been, since they were so close. But then, less than a second later, the Houndour puppies would start jumping up and down and barking. Writing it, that sounds like a bad thing, but I assure you they were asking the big Pokemon to do it again. The Houndours loved it. At some point, one got the great idea to climb onto the tail before it was raised up again. The other Pokemon decided to fling the puppy away. It landed in the snow safely not too far from where we were hiding. Naturally, the rest thought this was a great idea and scrambled onto the tails to get flung too.

If my hands weren't already cold, I would have wanted to draw it. Actually, I didn't even think of it at the time. It was just fun to watch. I'll try to after I'm done writing this.

That went on for a few more minutes. Then, out of nowhere, a pair of Houndooms appeared. They barked a bit, but not in a mean way, I think. It was the tone of a parent telling their kids to stop playing and come eat. I may not have seen my parents for a couple years, but I know that tone. None of the Houndours listened, what child would? The Houndooms actually had to pick them up with their mouths and carry them away. Two escaped, but were snatched up by Houndoom's tail. That's when everyone went their separate ways.

I thought about following the new Pokemon, but decided against it. Hestia and I were too cold for that. If there are more of them around, I'll try to say hello in person next time. That covers today. In case you're wondering, Meredith let me take the tent since I'll be outside longer. I told her I would be fine and that she should have it because she doesn't have a fire type, but she insisted. It is nice and toasty in here, I have to say. And now that really is all for today. Goodnight Ash.

-Samuel Oak

February 26, 1961

Dear Ash,

It's not nice to lie to people Ash. I have been lied to. That mayor is a Liepard. These falls were not frozen. Alright, I'm not all that upset. But the waterfall isn't what I was expecting is all. I thought it would be a big sheet of ice that came flying out from the top and turned to spears at the bottom. Instead, it was still a ton of still flowing water with some big icicles underneath and around the outside. It was really cool looking anyway. I liked the way the icicles had formed into strange shapes in some places, instead of pointing straight down, they bent off to the side. And the mixture of solid ice and running water had a sort of playful feel to it. I tried to draw it, but you know I'm no good with landscapes. Have a look anyway. But I'm still annoyed that it wasn't what I was promised.

We followed the river for over a day to get there. And on the way we saw something strange, a chunk of ice sitting in the middle. At first, it looked like it had a weird, brown color to it. When I got closer I realized that that was because it was a pile of sticks that had frozen over. Hestia caught Benedict before he could jump in the water to investigate more. I was in the middle of giving him a talking to, when the same kind of Pokemon from the other day rose out from the river. I was in such shock that I couldn't say a thing. It didn't even notice us until Benedict made noise by jumping behind me. It was just as confused about us as we were of it. Less nervous, though. It walked over to us, nice and slow, and said hello. Hestia and Benedict said hi back. As did I, I'm not rude or anything. I would have liked to say more, but I didn't have time. The Pokemon had a some things in its arms and it handed something to each of us. Ice cold, but not frozen, vegetables. It had a bunch of them, in fact. Then it said something else, goodbye I think, and walked away, into the trees. None of us really knew what had happened. But we had fresh veggies for lunch.

The past few days have been pretty boring otherwise. I think that's more because I've been worrying about Hestia. Last time I wrote, she was lively and having a good time. Happy to spend time with me and Benedict. She's back in her funk again, now. She'll stay out of her Pokeball, but she's barely said a word. I've tried being the talkative one, I can't keep that going for very long. And she hasn't been as cuddly. I've tried to give her hugs while we're warming up, and she just lets me. She won't hug back. Benedict has been cautiously adventurous, and I can see that Hestia is watching out for him, but again she isn't giving anything back. I want to understand what's going on in her head. I just wish she would talk to me.

-Samuel Oak


	12. February 28-March 22

February 28, 1961

Dear Ash,

I'm proud of myself. I think I did some good today. "Think" really is the best word to use though. It's hard to be sure. Not long ago, I was on my way to the traveler's cave. Benedict and Hestia were walking with me. And we reached a spot where the snow had been turned into slush. I figured that Houndour and Houndoom must be nearby. We decided to follow the slush. To our surprise, it wasn't them. We found our way to the edge of a wide open field, the kind I would expect to be farmland. The snow was completely gone, and in the middle of the dead grass was a Ponyta.

I had no idea there were Ponyta running around Sinnoh. It was the first time I had seen one in ages. I've always liked the way the flames on their back make the rest of their bodies kind of shine. This one, shined too bright. We could barely look at it. Its mane was all over the place, blazing brighter than that Talonflame in Sunyshore. It stopped a few times to jump back and forth and kick at the air. If it hadn't been running around in a circle and making that clop clop sound horse Pokémon do, it might have taken me awhile to figure out what it was.

Naturally, I was hesitant to go say hi to the running fire. Benedict wasn't crazy about it either, he dug himself as far into my shirt as he could. I returned him to his Pokéball. Hestia was okay with staying out though.

After a moment's thought, I walked into the open grass. Hestia was less okay with that. The Ponyta turned and came right for me. Hestia looked like she was going to jump in the way, but I told her not to. I just knew, I knew the Ponyta would stop. It waited until it was inches from my face and I nearly fell over, but it did stop.

I didn't know what to say, and now I can't remember exactly what it was I did say. I think I understood Ponyta was upset, about something it tried to do or that it couldn't do. It was mad at itself. At first I spoke and looked it in the eye and when I felt the time was right, I reached out to touch its nose. Ponyta didn't let me and jumped around some more. But I kept at it. I told it I was there, that it could trust me, that whatever it was we could get through it together. Again, I'm not actually sure what I said, but I think it was like that. I wasn't doing much for Ponyta, but Hestia believed in me. She took her place beside me and we called out for Ponyta together. It charged again, and we did not move.

Ponyta slowed down and nudged into me. Its flames had gone down and they didn't burn me at all. When I got a good look, I could see dried tears on Ponyta's face. It was heartbreaking, the way it looked at me. There was nothing to say. Hestia and I simply tried to hold Ponyta while it stood there shaking. We must have stood there for an hour.

I could actually feel the difference in Ponyta when it had calmed down. Its breathing was better, it stamped less, and its skin didn't twitch as much. But we stayed the way we were for some time. Hestia and I tried to say some encouraging things, but I don't know how much got through. Eventually, Ponyta nuzzled each of us and wandered into the field alone. I wanted to follow, but I think not doing so was the right choice. And I think we were right to try and help. I hope Ponyta is better, or at least not as sad. I think we did good.

On a lighter note, I thought of something yesterday. Do you know how long it's been since I did any actual training with my Pokémon? I stopped mentioning it a while ago since it had become a daily thing and didn't seem that important. I remember missing a few days, I'm not sure I gave it much thought. And now I can't recall when the last time I did any at all. And neither of them told me. I'm not the only one to blame, they forgot too! Benedict thought it would be fun to start again. Hestia, who I had expected to be all for it, was less happy. But yesterday and today we ran some drills to warm us back up. I remembered that last winter I used snow to make tackle dummies for them. So we did that today, Benedict and I had fun putting those together. Once we got into it, Hestia had a better time. Our training spots were completely dry by the time we left, just like with Ponyta. All the trees and grass were covered in more scorch marks than when we found them. I'll try to keep this up. If only to make Hestia feel better.

We made it to the cave with the traveler's shrine outside. We apparently made it before Meredith. The talks in town probably took longer than she expected. But she should probably be here by tomorrow. I hope. Otherwise I'll have to find something else to do. Maybe I'll explore some of the other caves. That could be fun. But, we'll see.

-Samuel Oak

March 1, 1961

Dear Ash,

Meredith is back. She had some trouble finding the place and didn't get here until after dark, but that's okay since I was out for most of the day. The town won't be hosting a Pokémon Health and Treatment Clinic, they don't want more visitors to come through the town than need be. They will, however, support the Joy family when they petition the Sinnoh government to have them built across the region. So it wasn't a waste of time going there.

That was the most interesting thing she had to say. I had many more stories than she did. Meredith liked how I treated Ponyta, saying she was very proud of how mature I was. Then there were the Geodude from today.

That's right, I saw a bunch of Geodude. I went exploring in a few of the nearby caves. Most were only ten to twenty feet deep, but one of them went in pretty far. So far that I lost track of the way out. It twisted and turned and went up and down. I've never seen a natural cave like it. Then again, I'm not much of a cave traveler. Obviously I had Hestia as a light and Benedict as, a lookout? Whatever, he was there. When we reached the end, it was unnaturally round, and warm. Warm for winter in a cave, that is. And there were holes all over the walls. Inside the holes is where we found all of the Geodude, curled up into little balls, sleeping. It reminded me of Electabuzz, and I figured that that must be how they survive the winter.

According to Meredith, I was right. The deeper into the ground you go, the less sudden weather changes will affect you, she said. And for some reason she didn't go into, the deeper you go, the warmer it actually gets. But she told me that's not why it was that warm. And it actually has to do with the other Pokémon I've seen. That big brown one with the flat tail, that's called a Bibarel. They live in houses they build in rivers. Which explains the frozen pile of sticks. And Bibarel store food in the river bed for winter. Which explains the veggies that one gave us.

But why would it just give us its precious stores? Because that's what they do. Meredith read, but never heard firsthand, that Bibarel will keep a ton of extra food for the winter to give out to other Pokémon. Almost all fruits, vegetables, and berries stop growing in the winter. And most Pokémon and animals go to sleep. So the ones that can survive the cold just fine, have nothing to eat. Bibarel, at least in some areas, are the ones who provide that food to Pokémon like Houndoom and Houndour. Pretty cool, right? But it gets better. The Houndoom and Houndour need a place to stay, right? Like maybe a cave?

Yeah, Meredith thinks that they sleep in the deep caves, where the wind can't get to them. And the Geodude stay in the same caves because Houndoom will create fires for themselves. It's like they all work to support each other and survive the winter. I really like that. I wondered what the Geodude do for the Houndoom, but Meredith wasn't sure. But she's sure they're grateful.

Tomorrow, we begin again. More walking, more snow, and hopefully, more Pokémon.

-Samuel Oak

March 8, 1961

Dear Ash,

Can winter be over now? Can it be spring. My feet are numb, and I've been in the tent with Hestia, Meredith, Benedict, and Happiny for over a day. There's been this crazy snow storm that started yesterday and won't stop. It's more wind than snow, but there's still a lot of snow. We've had to stay put in the hopes that it will stop soon. Meredith and I have taken turns going outside to dig the snow off of the tent. It can't handle too much weight. I thought about building a snow shelter around the tent, but I was already freezing out there when I thought of it. Meredith also said it would make taking down the tent a problem. If this weather ever ends. I haven't seen a blue sky in days. I just want spring to come back.

We've all been trying to amuse ourselves. Meredith and I have been talking about where we grew up. I told her about how Ratata flood the town in spring, eating anything left alone for five minutes. She told me about the first time she had to stitch a cut closed on a living Pokémon. She screwed it up and it had to be resewn by her teacher. Meredith was quite graphic, but I won't be.

The Pokémon have been talking, too. Hestia is definitely having a hard time. But, Happiny and Benedict have been trying to include her. I know they have because I saw Happiny explaining the rules of that game she's been playing with Benedict, the one with the little rocks. She still won't explain it to me. And when I asked Meredith about it, she pretended to not know what I was talking about. But Hestia just won't do anything. She's mostly been mumbling whenever any of us try to talk to her. And she isn't eating much either. I have to tell her to eat most of the time. What do I do?

And that brings back something I wanted to talk to you about. It happened days ago, but I haven't been able to tell you. It's silly, I'm not actually saying anything, but it's still hard.

Meredith pulled us off course, even though she's behind schedule. We crossed a gorge and turned towards the ocean. It took a few hours to find our way down, around the cliff face, and to reach where the gorge met the sea. The river's outlet is where we stopped and Meredith asked me to look around. I didn't think much of the signs at the time, but they were all there. Chunks of the cliff had fallen. Blocks of ice sat offshore. In some spots not covered by snow or ice I could see char marks. And boulders and rocks were scattered at the mouth of the river.

I was about to ask what she was asking me to look for, when she pulled off her gloves and reached into the water. What she pulled out was brown, curved, and had a metal barrel attached. Blastoise aren't so common that you see them everywhere, but you remember when you do. This, I will always remember. Blastoise are large turtles and have cannons that pop out of their shells. This was a cannon and the shell it would hide under. And nothing else.

Meredith said to look again and I saw it. This was where the war had been fought. A battle at least. Time and winter had covered up some of the signs, but the evidence was still there. Kanto had tried to invade Sinnoh in this very spot. The river is deep and goes far inland. They had planned to sneak in by ship and launch attacks on various towns and villages. Ones like where we had stayed not long ago. The Sinnoh military found out before hand and set up a barricade. And then they fought. People, guns, grenades, Pokémon, fire, ice, rocks. Apparently it went on for days. The tremors could be felt for miles. The place was utterly destroyed. And a Blastoise had had its shell cut to pieces, and left it behind.

It all seems so peaceful now. The landscape has been reclaimed by nature. No matter how much we fight, how much we destroy, nature will take it all back, and go on like we never existed. But there are stills scars, Ash. Muk, from my crossing to Unova, was deformed. The Drapion, on the way to Sinnoh, was missing a leg. This Blastoise will never grow back its cannon. And the beach, still has so many signs of what happened.

I never knew the war, and it's never been entirely real to me. But the more I see the scars it's left behind, the harder it is to ignore. Why, why did we do it? What were we doing it for? I don't even remember how the last war started, Ash. People and Pokémon died and I don't even know what they were fighting for. I don't think I want to know. People shouldn't fight, not like that. Pokémon battles are like sports, a competition. A chance to test yourself against others and be your best. This, this was hatred. We wanted to hurt each other... To cause pain. And I hate it. All of it. But does that make me as bad as them? If I hate the people who hate and hurt, am I one of them?

I'm lost.

Meredith said that those are good questions to ask. And it's why she showed to me. She found out from the mayor in town about the site. She said he was angry whenever he thought of me being around, a Kanto child being in his town and in his home. I had no idea he felt that strongly. Meredith wanted me to understand why people will hate me in Sinnoh. And she wanted to show me where hate will lead you. To war. And after the war, nature won't care if you hated or not, it will just move on without you.

Or something like that. I've been going over it in my head ever since and this was the best I could come up with to say about it. I don't like it. I don't want another war. And I don't want people to fight anymore. But, now more than ever, I feel like a child. I don't know what to do. That's all I feel lately.

-Samuel Oak

March 12, 1961

Dear Ash,

To make up for how much time we lost in the blizzard, we decided to take a few short cuts. There are a bunch of underground paths scattered all over the place in Sinnoh, I guess. They don't recommend using them since they haven't been fully mapped out. And there could be all kinds of dangerous things down in the dark. But it took out the trouble of walking over or around a few hills. And it was still cold as heck most of the time. We stopped every few hours on the way to heat up, but my hands and feet were numb most of the time. They only got back to normal after being inside for five hours.

By the way, we made it to the town. Valor Lakefront. I never expected there to be a city practically in the middle of the lake. We actually walked across the frozen lake to get here. The hostel has quite a few travelers. Not just Pokémon trainers, but sightseers and a few folk on pilgrimages. A pilgrimage is a kind of spiritual journey. They're visiting places tied to the mythology of Sinnoh, the Celestial ruin, the three lakes, and the Spear Pillar. I'm told most who try aren't able to reach all the locations, most often the Spear Pillar, but those who do are supposed to become enlightened or something. Lake Valor is an extremely important place to the people of Sinnoh, I guess I should have guessed there would be a ton of people.

There's a temple of sorts I heard, it's where I was planning on going in the first place. And that's where the pilgrims go. It's sacred, and if I want to see it I shouldn't go around telling everyone I'm from Kanto. Which may be difficult if I want to let Hestia stretch her legs. The younger trainers in Sunyshore City were open to meeting a Kanto trainer and Pokémon. The people here are older though, and more patriotic, I think is the word? They won't like the idea of me going. Thinking about the battle sight still really bothers me and now I'm thinking maybe it would be wrong for me to go into their sacred space.

I don't have to make up my mind right away, at least. Valor Lakefront is one of the big stops on Meredith's list. She needs to stay for at least two weeks. That's plenty of time for me to explore and find cool stuff to do. Maybe even make a friend. I like Meredith, but it will be nice to have someone else to talk to.

There's always supposed to be someone waiting for Meredith, but this time they were in real need of her. A family recently adopted a Pokémon called Burmy. A bug type, that looks like a black Weedle. The thing is, you aren't supposed to see that. Burmy makes itself a coating out of leaves or dirt or basically anything they can find. When they brought it to Meredith, she quickly pointed out that that was the problem. And told them off, naturally.

Here's how it happened according to them. The family found it snuggling up in a hole while they were digging for some reason. It was asleep and cute and they decided to take it home. Once it was near the fire for a while, it woke up and they all bonded. Over the next few days, Burmy had free run of the place. Then they started to notice damage to the walls and floor mats. It was tearing them, and using the stuff to cover itself. So, they put a stop to it by watching Burmy or putting it in a bird cage when no one was around. Slowly, it shed its coating and became naked. They didn't think anything of it. But they did notice Burmy getting more nervous and less energetic.

When Meredith and I got here, it was in full on depressive state. Meredith yelled in her way, where she doesn't raise her voice but you feel like it might be less scary if she did. She said Burmy don't just like to coat themselves, they need it. Even if they are warm and safe, they have to have the coating or they'll have a nervous breakdown. It's how they are. And since the material they use breaks down, Burmy have to continuously replace their coating. It needed to eat their house, so to speak.

Meredith asked for firewood and any debris that could be spared and left it sitting next to Burmy. Since then, it's started to make a new home for itself. From now on, that family will have to provide stuff for Burmy take apart or let it do what it wants. Because it's too late to let it go back into the wild, it won't survive the winter. Meredith told them so. And you don't question Meredith.

By the way, I made sketches of before and after. I couldn't let the opportunity pass me by. The family didn't seem all that happy with me doing that. People almost never get to see Burmy naked like that, though. It's tragic and upsetting to see in real life and probably in bad taste for me to draw. I should be more considerate next time.

Pokemon are strange. And this makes me wonder if I would have figured out myself. I think I would have. Maybe not right away, but eventually. Except, I still can't figure out what's really bothering Hestia. Maybe I need to think about her anatomy, rather than her emotions. I'll let you know.

-Samuel Oak

March 13, 1961

Dear Ash,

I think I overdid it on the way here. In fact, I know I did. How do I know, you ask? For one, I'm in bed sick. For two, do I need a second reason? Remember before how I said it took me hours to warm up? That didn't happen fast enough, I guess. I've been in my bed all day with the chills and a stuffy nose that's making my head hurt. At least I'm not throwing up, so it's still better than being at sea without pills. A whole day in a new city, wasted. I feel dumb. And sore. And bored out of my Duskull. I think there's a limit to how much you can actually rest in a day and I hit that hours ago.

Benedict has been taking care of me, though, as much as he can. Have you ever seen six eggs with no arms try to carry a glass of water? It was so strange, I'm not sure I didn't dream it. He's also been trying to entertain me while I'm awake. I think Happiny tried to teach him how to do a comedy duo act, which he can do by himself three times. Again, maybe I dreamed that. But he doesn't have much else to work with besides his natural cuteness. I like the attention at least. I feel like a bother, but I like having so much time alone with him. I should do the same with Hestia.

Speaking of Hestia. Did you like that transition, Ash? I think I'm getting better at them. Anyway, since I'm not feeling well, Meredith is taking care of Hestia. Meredith was taking care of me, but she has work to do. And I want Hestia to get out of her Pokéball if she can, just not around the people of the city. For now, at least. So Meredith agreed to take Hestia outside the city for a walk or something. Happiny went too, but Benedict stayed with me.

Meredith said Hestia was worried about me and told me to get well soon. I asked if she seemed sad at all, and Meredith told me Hestia seemed more concerned about me than anything. The next most obvious emotion was frustration that she couldn't be with me. That made me happy. I know Hestia cares, but it's still nice to hear. I hope that I can spend time with her while I'm in Valor Lakefront. I keep harping on how she has problems, but it's just because I'm worried and I don't want her to be alone and get worse.

I shouldn't be so fixated, according to Meredith. She wants me to focus on getting better. And Hestia did apparently have a good time with her, or at least Meredith had a good time with Hestia. Those two haven't spent much time together, so I like it. I wanted to know what they did, but all Meredith would say was "girl stuff". What does that even mean?

Okay, I'm getting tired again. I didn't run out of sleep after all. Tomorrow I think I'll be back in fighting form. Ready to take on the town. Maybe.

-Samuel Oak

March 15, 1961

Dear Ash,

I slept for at least ten hours straight yesterday, but I'll be darned if I don't feel better. Okay, maybe not. My nose won't stop dripping and I can't help but notice the way I'm standing everytime I stop walking. When I am walking, it feels kind of like I'm out at sea again, like the world is wobbling. Meredith said that means I should still be in bed. I told her to stuff it. Okay, I didn't. But I did insist on going outside for a few hours. She made me promise to wait for her to be done with her work for the day before I tried.

The city is the oldest I've seen in Sinnoh so far. Admittedly, this is my third town, but it's still true. I can tell by how everything looks and was made, it's all stonework. Crafted, sculpted, and well placed. No gravel roads or metal buildings here. The lake is a sacred place and the mythology surrounding it goes way back. Further than the current government, or any government on record. I'm sure they had some kind of government, but they say all of the documents were lost to time. All that's left is the traditions, the myths, the city itself, and the temple. The temple is dedicated to the legendary Pokémon Azelf. It's where all those pilgrims I was telling you about before go. Everyone here tries really hard to preserve the city as much as possible. It feels like the city has been plucked out of time and untouched by the modern world. I heard, though, that some of the younger generations want to update. They believe it's possible to be modern and hold on to tradition.

All of the local businesses are family owned. Every store has been in the same family for generations. Not just the supply shops or restaurants. The craftsmen, the tourist traps, the toy makers, everyone. And they are darn proud of it. I don't think I met a single owner who didn't jump at the chance to tell me their family history. At first I really enjoyed it, but eventually my cold was catching up to me. After the sixth or so time I got a history lesson, I stopped asking. Meredith loved it too, I think. Or maybe she's good at faking interest.

Benedict wasn't much trouble. You know how he likes to get a close look at everything. He looks with eyes and not his... faces? Which means he's less prone to breaking things than when we first met. Today, though, he only looked around a little bit. Every time I let him out, he was more concerned about me. I tried to tell him I was fine, and he wouldn't listen. The funniest part of the day was when I was listening to a cashier's long story about her great great great great grandmother, and I was getting a little tipsy. Benedict stepped in and tried to pull a chair over to me, while one of his heads actually started to lecture the woman. I think it went along the lines of "can't you see he's tired!? Stop talking and let the man sit down!" I laughed so hard I got light headed.

There's this tradition here about proving your courage. "Valor" is part of the name of the city after all. They have all of these challenges they give to each other. Some are obvious, like the walk through a haunted forest at night with only a candle. We had that one at home. Others are more strange, like putting silly hats on unsuspecting and easily angered Pokémon. And then there's just plain crazy, where a group of grown ups cut a whole in the ice right next to the cliff edge where the city meets the lake, and then they put on bathing suits and jump off the cliff into the hole! It's true, I watched them do it. I feel cold as it is, and that made it so much worse.

The only one Meredith would let me take part in was "find the candy". Glameow, that cat Pokémon I met in Sunyshore, has an evolution named Purugly. They get bigger, with more muscle, and white patterns are added to their fur. Purugly will wrap their tails around their middle and push it forward to make themselves look even bigger. Needless to say, they can be quite violent. "Find the candy" is played by putting three boxes together and putting a cloth over the top. One contains a candy, one is empty, and the last has a Purugly inside. The goal is to find the candy by sticking your hand in one. Each time you fail, the boxes get rearranged. There's an equal chance that you will find a treat or find an unhappy Pokémon ready to strike.

Just to be clear, the Purugly belonged to one of the kids we were playing with. He wasn't being forced to do anything. Purugly actually seemed to be enjoying it.

I tried, and failed about five times before getting the right box. Three of those failed attempts I found Purugly, who bit and scratched me. It still hurts, but I had fun. I made friends with the Purugly, of course. He let me pick him up and didn't attack me. Glameow was soft, but Purugly's fur was more scratchy. I didn't mind at all, but I thought the difference was interesting. Purugly can be mean, but also really sweet if you let him.

It's still early for me, but I think I'm going to go to sleep now. Even sitting and writing so much is exhausting me. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to do many more things in town. If Benedict and Meredith will let me.

-Samuel Oak

March 18, 1961

Dear Ash,

I forgot something, Ash. And I can't believe it took me this long to remember. No, not training. I remembered that, though I admit I haven't done it lately. Wow, I'm becoming old and forgetful really early. You know what I didn't do back in Sunyshore City? Set up a mailbox. I haven't gotten or sent any letters home since I came to Sinnoh! My parents must be so worried about me. Tomorrow, I'll have to go to the post office and see if I can have a mailbox set up in one of the port towns. Having it be here in Valor Lakefront would just create an extra step when I need mail delivered somewhere. I'll also have to send a forwarding request to Sunyshore in case my parents already tried to send me something. And I have to write them a letter apologizing. Maybe I should write one to each of them? But then I also have to write one to each of my brothers to let them know I'm okay. My hand is going to be sore tomorrow.

I made it into the temple today. The one dedicated to Azelf, the legendary Pokémon of willpower. The priests and priestesses were surprised to learn I wasn't a pilgrim. Most of the people who visit these days are. The city and the lake itself are the big attractions tourists come to see. They said even though Valor Lakefront tries to preserve its own history, the ones who live there and around the region are forgetting the old ways. And the old legends.

But these legends are about Pokémon, so I couldn't wait to hear them. My tour guide, or the man who showed me around and helped me through the usual ceremonies, told me everything he had time to say. Azelf, along with Uxie and Mesprit, were created all at once by the creator of Sinnoh and the world. Each of the three Pokémon gifted an aspect to humanity. Azelf, who resides in Lake Valor, gave us the determination and the courage to pursue our dreams and to do what's right. Everyone who comes to the temple is asked to reflect on what drives them. What gives them the courage to continue on the journey of life.

I didn't have a good answer. I thought about my desire to see more places. I like to, but I'm not sure it drives me. I thought about the people I meet. Except, most of the time I'm fine without making a lot of new friends. Of course I thought about Pokémon. I just plain love seeing and learning about Pokémon. Is that what makes me do what I do though? My guide said it was fine to not have a clear answer. Many pilgrims actually start their tour of the temples to find those answers. Maybe if I visit all of them, I can find my own purpose too.

Hestia is doing okay, I think. Once I got over my cold, I was the one making trips out of town to let her out. I found a spot where a fallen tree created its own little hill with the snow. I decided that we could make our own snow fort out of it. I had to add a bunch more snow to make the hill big enough, but there was plenty lying around. Hestia wasn't jumping up and down at the idea, but she gave me a helping claw anyway. We've spent the last few days digging out the inside. We're trying to make sure it doesn't collapse, and we're being extra careful. No fire type attacks. Once that's done, I think we should reinforce the walls if we can. Maybe with branches. And after that, we can make our own snow furniture and beds and things.

I decided to keep the snow fort just between me and Hestia. I let her and Benedict see each other after we stop for the day. Which takes about forty minutes. I know it's selfish of me, but I felt I really wanted something just for us. Like a secret thing that only we get to know about. And you, I guess, but that's different. I've missed just playing with Hestia. It feels like we haven't played like this since I left Pallet Town with her as a Charmander.

And part of me is hoping that, if we spend enough time together, she'll get better. She might be happy again. Really happy, not just the sometimes having fun that she's like now. I miss my best friend. I want her to be okay. Or if she doesn't start to feel better, maybe I can understand why.

I swear, I'm not depressed or anything. I'm thinking about things more than usual is all. My next letter will be more exciting, I promise.

-Samuel Oak

March 22, 1961

Dear Ash,

Since I plan on traveling with Meredith for a while, I decided I should know a little about her "job". In a strange coincidence, I had nothing planned for today. As it turns out, her work involves a lot of answering the same questions over and over again. If she's lucky, she'll be asked the same questions by different people. Some of them were obvious, like "how are the clinics going to be staffed?" or "how do we know you won't try to force you policies on the city?" Others were things I never would have thought of like "if the clinic is free, how can we expect you to pay taxes on the land we give you or pay for utilities?" Most of the rest of it went right over my head. Meredith was calm and kind every time. I've never had my patience tested like that. I hope I never do.

I decided to take a break and relax in the main entry area. The ceiling had a brilliant painting of the creation of Sinnoh. Featuring four Pokémon I didn't recognize. But the edges featured three other Pokémon, one of whom I knew was Azelf from when I went to the temple. The other two sort of looked like Azelf, that means they must be Mesprit and Uxie. Azelf actually had another mural all to itself, showing it flying down from the top of a mountain and into a lake. It was quite something to look at. One of my sketches wouldn't do it justice.

In the center of the room was this huge aquarium filled with Pokémon and fish. I had seen almost all of the Pokémon before, Goldeen, Magikarp, Seaking. The fish were new, I think, I can never remember with animals. The one Pokémon I didn't know was Finneon. Fish like, with fins like a bow on its top and butterfly wings for tailfins.

I was having a great time trying to draw it when Meredith came out to check on me. Instantly, she went from pleasant to annoyed. I thought I had done something before she asked me to look at the tank and tell her what I saw. I listed the Pokémon and how many and the plants and what not. Clearly she was looking for something specific though. When I paid more attention, I noticed that the Seaking were spread out, not interacting with each other the way they were with the other Pokémon. And they were sluggish by comparison. I pointed out to her that all the Seaking I've ever known have been lively and liked each other. Or at least, they didn't seem to mind being in groups. That was good, but she asked for more. I went in for a closer look and I thought to myself that maybe their colors were dull? And I had never seen Seaking with dark red spots on their fins. My guess was that they were sick.

Meredith praised me, which I liked, but her voice wasn't happy at all. She demanded to know who was in charge of the aquarium. When the caretaker was summoned she explained the real problem. First, there were too many Seaking. Seaking pair up during mating, but go their own way after the young are born. They can be around each other, but by and large they live alone. They can't deal with so many of their own kind being in such a small space. That "small space", by the way, was at least as big as my room back home. Second, one of them had caught a disease, I don't remember the name right now, one almost exclusive to Seaking. Since they live on their own most of the year, it isn't a common problem. However, since there were so many in the tank, they were all now infected.

Anytime Meredith isn't talking just to me or about the clinics, it must seem like she's yelling at someone. I promise you, Ash, she really is a wonderful person. Once she was finished for the day, we went shopping for the things she would need to treat the Seaking. It looks like we're going to spend tomorrow afternoon looking after them.

Our fort is finished. The mound reaches over the trunk of the tree, which is a little higher than my head. Inside, it's hollowed out so that both Hestia and I can fit. And nothing else. Honestly, I thought it would be bigger. I thought we'd have all of this space to walk around. But if we dig out any more, we'll go through the walls. We could expand the walls, but we would need more snow for that. All of the snow around the fort was used to make it tall enough for me. It's been warm and sunny the past couple days, too. Winter might be over. Which means we have all we're going to have.

Hestia doesn't mind as much as me. When we're in there, she's more concerned about not letting her tail flame melt it. Which wouldn't be a problem if there was more room! She seems proud of it, as is. Whenever we get there, the first thing she does is inspect the inside walls to make sure nothing collapsed. After that, she checks the outside for damage, I think. Really she just walks around it a few times. Now that construction's done, there isn't much to do but sit inside. Which is fun, but wears off after not too long. I need to think of another thing for us to do there. Hestia's doing really well and I don't want her slipping back. I'll come up with something.

-Samuel Oak


	13. March 23-April 12

March 23, 1961

Dear Ash,

I tried to go back to training today. Hestia was more enthusiastic about it than she was last time, which I thought was a good sign. I didn't want to leave scorch marks for someone to find, so she practiced footwork. Hestia climbed three different trees, one after the other, about five times in a row. Then she dodged while I threw snowballs at her. And we found a rock covered in ice, which she Slashed clean. I worked up a sweat, too. I didn't make them do all the work. I did laps, dodged snowballs, wrestled with Hestia, played follow the pebble with Benedict, and punched a snowman. It was a busy morning. Benedict, was less productive.

Last night, a new boy, Tyler, showed up in my room at the hostel. It was late, and we didn't talk much before going to sleep. This morning, Tyler was showing off his Pokémon to the other guests. One was a Snover, which I've seen before. They have a lower body kind of like a tree, and a head like snowy pine trees smooshed together. Obviously and ice type. She was quite friendly was constantly trying to shake peoples hands. Tyler said she just learned what a handshake was.

Everyone was more interested in his other Pokémon, Turtwig. She reminded me of a Bulbasaur, four legs, green, with a plant growing out of it. Except Turtwig looks more like a turtle with a big head, and the plant is a seedling growing out of that head and not a bulb on its back. Turtwig are one of the Pokémon only found in Sinnoh, and they're rare. Everyone knew what it was, but I wasn't the only one who hadn't ever seen one before. She was both shy and aggressive, she would Withdraw when anyone got close and if they didn't back off, she would pop out and shoot them with a Razor Leaf. Tyler tried to warn them, but not everyone listened.

She was nice enough to not attack me while a sat close by and drew a picture, though I wish she would have come out and posed for it a little. The strange thing was, I let Benedict out to meet her, and maybe ease her out of her shell, and he went crazy. Not the running around screaming or attacking things crazy. It was a new kind of crazy. One head stood there, staring. Another two hid behind me and started muttering to each other. One did a weird dance. One looked like he was panicking for no reason. And the last head kept trying to walk up to Turtwig, even though she was clearly telling him to stop, with force. After a minute of this, I couldn't get him under control and I returned him to his Pokéball. I've never seen Benedict so divided. Sometimes his heads will do their own things, and they do have slightly different habits, but he is one being. He is of one shared mind. I can't imagine what caused him to have all of his heads act independently like that. And later, during training, he would barely move. And when he did he seemed dizzy or something. I was going to ask Meredith about it, but something came up.

Meredith, Happiny, and I spent the afternoon treating the Seaking. We took each one out of the aquarium and put them into separate tanks. I thought they were too small, but it was the best we could do on short notice. Then Meredith gave them a solution she prepared last night. Next we cleaned them and used a type of ointment on the red spots on their fins. For now, that's how we have to leave them. It will be easier for them to get healthy if they're separated, even if there isn't much room. Once they're better, they can safely go back into the main tank. The problem is, with so many of them, problems will come up again. Either the city needs a bigger aquarium, a second big tank, or they'll have to release a few. The caretaker didn't like that last idea, they're quite attached to all of the Pokémon and animals in their care. I would hate to have to make that kind of choice. I would just get another tank if I could afford it.

The deputy mayor invited Meredith to a performance of the Valor Lakefront Opera Company. Opera is like a more dramatic play, where everyone sings the whole time. Because she knows how much I like to try new things, Meredith asked if I could come along. When we arrived, I could tell the deputy mayor wasn't happy to see me. Meredith introduced me as her traveling companion and I think he was surprised by that for some reason. He can't have known I was from Kanto just by looking at me. Oh, I got it! I didn't dress up. Everyone else was wearing nice, special night on the town, clothing. And I was in my normal cold weather hiking gear. I don't have any nice clothing. They aren't worth the bag space. And I would never use them. Except for tonight. No wonder he kept staring at me.

It was rude of me, now that I figured it out. It probably shouldn't have taken me this long. But with him constantly looking at me, I couldn't really enjoy the performance. The story was about two people who fell in love. And one of them was a princess and the other a knight, or a samurai, I'm not sure which. Both were in there somewhere. It was really confusing. I had a hard time following it. And it was so very long. There were two intermissions. That's two breaks for the bathroom. I did have fun, and I liked the music. I also liked how any Pokémon that played a big part in the story was played either by that Pokémon or a person in costume. Some of them looked ridiculous. Have you ever seen a woman try to act like a pair of swords? She had to spin around and pull the giant fake swords out of her costume. Meredith said it was called a Doublade, and that it wasn't that bad, better than some of the others. All things aside, I liked it. I'm not going to make plans to do it again any time soon, though.

Meredith says she has at least a week left here in the city. More than she had hoped. Her schedule accounts for a few long visits, but she's worried about keeping up. Her thought is, if it does take that long, she'll have to rearrange her plans. We'll go from Valor Lakefront to a big town southeast of here, then straight to Pastoria City. Then we'll go to a town just east of Pastoria which we skipped through on the way. Pastoria City's a big place and they have a harder time making time for the Joy family, so Meredith thinks it would be better to get there at the scheduled time and postpone the other. Makes sense to me. But it does mean I have a few more days in Valor Lakefront that I really don't know what to do with at this point. I do want to check back in on the Seaking tomorrow at least. And maybe get a proper drawing of Turtwig and Snover. I shouldn't get bored.

-Samuel Oak

March 28, 1961

Dear Ash,

I realize it's been a few days. I want to reassure you that the Seaking are doing fine. Three have already made nearly complete recoveries and have returned to the aquarium. The others need to stay in private tanks for a few more days. Their spots are fading and their natural color is returning. What they really need is more space. That part is the hardest thing right now. The caretaker has asked for another large aquarium, but typical government types don't want to pay for it. Is that really true? It's something the caretaker said, and I've heard other adults say the same sort of thing before. When I sat in with Meredith the other day, they did talk about money a lot. There has to be more to it than that, right? They can't care about the money that much. They're the government, what do they spend money on anyway? People are supposed to pay them. I don't see why, really, but I know it's true. I don't get it.

I figured out what was up with Benedict. Apparently I was the last one to do so. He's in love. With Turtwig, if that wasn't clear. Whenever he's in the same room as her, his heads stop being able to function as a whole. One of them always tries to get close and Turtwig pushes him away. Another hides. And the rest have no idea what to do. At this point I don't want to let him out near her. But I also know he hates that he can't see her and he kind of hates me for keeping her from him. I wouldn't have to if he would just behave. Tyler was understanding at first, but the more times Benedict acted weird, the less comfortable he seems with the whole thing. Should I let Benedict out and keep him closed off until he learns? Would that even work? I would become more determined, I think. How do you teach a Pokémon to control their feelings? People can't even do that!

Family can be complicated. Usually I think of people in two ways, friends and family. Family are the people I'm related to, like mom and dad. And friends are everyone else that I like, like you or Meredith. According to a woman named Ally, that isn't how she sees it. Family is anyone you want to see or think about everyday for the rest of your life. To her, her Honchkrow is her family. And to Honchkrow, the wild Murkrow are her family. And not being able to see your family for a long time hurts, even if you know that they're okay. It makes sense, Hestia and Benedict aren't actually related to me, but I can't imagine not having them with me. I can't picture life without seeing them, or just having their Pokéballs with me for company. I do think of them as family. However, I have a hard time thinking the same way about people people.

This is something that came up when I returned Honchkrow to Ally's home. I had been in the woods, returning to the city after training with Hestia and Benedict. Hestia's back in her slump, but not as hard. More time, I think. Anyway, I heard kawing from the tree line. It was loud, and yet not powerful. When I found Honchkrow, she was jumping from tree to tree, yelling into the forest. In between calls, she bundled up and looked like she was in pain. The reason was obvious, Honchkrow like Murkrow, are weak to ice. So they don't usually go out and do stuff much in the winter. I didn't know this until Ally told me, but Murkrow move around a bit during this time of year. They don't fly way down South, but they don't stay in the same region either. Honchkrow would normally be with them, leading them in fact, but she chose to stay behind with Ally for the winter. Managing to stay warm in her family's home the whole time.

Now that it's warming up, Ally decided it was safe for Honchkrow to go out. I think it was still too cold, since when I found her she was clearly having a hard time with it. I decided to stick around and see if I could get Honchkrow to calm down. I tried to use gentle words and voice. Which I did more than I should have, I guess. After a few minutes, Honchkrow flew down, pushed me over, pinned me, and started pecking me in the face. You know how big Honchkrow are, right Ash? They aren't that common in Johto, but you probably should have seen one. Big black birds with a poofy white chest, and feathers on their head that look like a hat. Imagine that digging into you chest and trying to eat your eyeballs. All things considered, I think I reacted fairly well. I managed to grab her wings to hold her back, not that her claws came out of my chest. When she stopped flailing so much, I could see that she had been crying. Then, I tried to just hold her for a while and she eventually calmed down.

Through a series of wing flaps and beak movements, she was able to lead me back to Ally's house while perched on my arm. Ally invited me in for tea and she told me about Honchkrow. She leads a small group she likes to call Murder in the Flight. Honchkrow must have been looking for them. And because she thinks of them as family, she was upset that she couldn't find them in their meet up spot. I think I would be sad and afraid if I couldn't find my mom or dad at home when I got back. And I know for sure that if my Pokéballs went missing I would have a heart attack. I wanted to cheer Honchkrow up, but Ally said that it was best to leave her be. She can be mean when she's upset. I'm going to visit again tomorrow to try and keep her some company anyway.

We're leaving in four days, Meredith already has bus tickets. Which will be tough on Benedict, leaving his first love. We have to reach the next town on time, and walking isn't going to cut it. I really do prefer to walk. I like the scenery and the exploration. But I'll admit, they made Unova easier to navigate. I spent half the time I thought I would in that region. I do wish I could have seen more than just a bunch of roads between landmarks. I know, it's not like I was on a bus the whole time. I just like walking, okay. I hope taking the bus doesn't become a regular thing for Meredith.

-Samuel Oak

April 1, 1961

Dear Ash,

And we're stuck. The bus driver tried to make it through a snowdrift that fell onto the road from up the cliff. It didn't work out. Winter had one more storm in it and we just had to be on a bus when it did. We're using a couple of fire Pokémon to stay warm while we wait it out. We could use them to free the bus, but I think they would have to be more careful about not burning the bus itself than they can be right now. And even if we got free, there's already too much snow on the ground, we wouldn't get far fast. And so, here we are, trapped again. At least there's more room this time. The seats aren't really made for sleeping though.

Meredith has decided that she's in charge. And no one wants to question that. She isn't barking out commands and giving people jobs or anything. When people started to ask for fire Pokémon to help out, Meredith suggested we be careful about what moves they use, if any. Then she tried to figure out where to place them, with the help of the driver and another passenger, so we would get even heat and not blow ourselves up.

Since then, she's been checking on the other Pokémon, the ones who don't have Pokéballs. Some of them can't survive the cold, like Budew. It's a grass type, looks like a seed with leafy arms wrapped around each other over its head. Meredith moved Budew and their trainer to another seat, one row further away from a Flareon. Her reason was that Budew needed to stay warm, but being that close would only do harm in the other direction.

We've been making sure that there are enough blankets to go around. A couple people went outside and grabbed all the sleeping bags travellers had brought. There aren't enough to go around, so Meredith rearranged the seating so that those without are closer to one or more of the fire type Pokémon. I asked how she constantly knows what to do. She said she doesn't. She sees a problem and thinks of a way to solve it. If she thinks of more than one answer, she chooses the most effective, but least difficult one. And if she can't think of one, she asks for help. Most importantly, she keeps trying. That was the most important part, find a way to deal with each problem until there aren't any. Being trained for medicine has given her a level head when it comes to tough situations.

I was saying how great she was, when she said that I was doing good too. I thought I was being useless and following her instructions. But she thinks that that's not the same thing. As long as I'm trying to help, and getting out of the way when I can't, that's good. She said I was doing my best to make the situation better. And not everyone does that. Once I thought about it, there were a few people on the bus who just sat there while we were trying to help. Were they trying not to get in the way, or did they not have any helpful ideas. I don't want to think I did better than them. I still don't think I did much. And outside of this case, there are plenty of things I'm still not able to figure out or do anything about. But it's always nice when Meredith compliments me.

I've had a chance to talk with the other passengers since we've settled down. Most of them are riding all the way to Sunyshore City. I only found two who are actually getting off at the same town Meredith and I are. One is Derek, and the other one his trainer friend named Ryan. They actually come from the town, which is called Statuary town. The name is very to the point. The valley near the town are the source of some of the highest quality clay in all of Sinnoh. Most of the people living there are sculptures, or sculpture students. Derek works at a family restaurant, and he can still create a true to life human from memory.

Ryan left on his own journey to find his calling outside the world of art five years ago, and is returning home for the first time since. His mother is retiring as the director of the local museum and she wanted him home for the event. Problem was, Ryan had been out of contact for a while. Turns out he was training in the mountains to the north when Derek found him. He was so far out of the way, that it's taken them weeks to get back here, even though they've been taking buses whenever possible. And the retirement party is in three days. Derek still believes they're going to make it, even though Ryan doesn't. He's always been like that, according to Derek. Ryan can never see things going his way. But I don't think we'll be stuck in this bus for that long. I hope.

-Samuel Oak

April 3, 1961

Dear Ash,

We really should have made it into Statuary Town yesterday morning. Except we had to drive through all of the snow. The bus wasn't very new either, it had trouble getting through the big piles and up hills. We had to stop over and over to have the Pokémon clear the road. We didn't get off the bus until the evening.

Thanks to my chat with Ryan and Derek, Meredith and I got free tours of the museum. Most museums I've been in are like a bunch of large hallways, lined with pictures and such, and sculptures in the middle. This one was more like a number of gymnasiums stuck together. Huge rooms, minimal walls, and sculptures everywhere. A series, by someone named Regina F., were actually sculptures meant to be hung on the wall. The subjects were made to look as if they were coming out of the wall itself. If it had been dark it would have been terrifying.

There's a style of art, called abstract, where what you make isn't supposed to look like a real thing. They're supposed to make you feel or think a certain way by their strange form and uncommon material. And I don't care for it. No matter how much the tour guide tried to explain it, I couldn't help but feel more attached to the ones made of the usual clay or stone and that look like people. And Pokémon, can't forget about them. My favorite series was from an artist named Rowan. They were of Pokémon together with their evolutionary stages. The statues weren't actually all that good, especially compared to the others. According to the guide, they were left on display because of the wide variety in form they had. And because they had an energy of love and playfulness that went beyond mere talent. They are a reminder that skill isn't everything. I can totally agree. They were simply a joy to look at.

Benedict has naturally been depressed since we left Valor Lakefront. Anytime I let him out, he sits there, huddled together. Hestia isn't doing much better either. She was in her Pokéball for almost two whole days, but that didn't seem to be what bothered her. I did notice something odd. When the three of us were together, plus Meredith and Happiny, Benedict and Hestia were closer. Like they were talking more. Not happy or excited, sort of a slow uninteresting chat. I'm not really sure what to make of it. They've always been friends and they've had spirited conversations. This time, it felt like they were bonding over their depression. Does that make any sense? Meredith said misery loves company. That's true, I guess. There's nothing wrong with them bonding like this. I hope. It's just something I noticed.

We're here for at least a week. Meredith is going to be working doubly hard on this one to make up for lost time. Statuary Town wasn't on my original list of places to visit. I'm sure I can find things to do. The museum was nice, I might go back there. Hopefully there's more than that though.

-Samuel Oak

April 7, 1961

Dear Ash,

I may have created a small problem. You see, this town isn't as big as the last one. It's easier to get into the woods. I can leave anywhere, instead of following the road out. I thought that was great, I'll go into the forest where ever and no one would notice. Maybe build another snow fort with Hestia, since the last one collapsed and we had to leave it behind. I was wrong. Ryan saw me walk out of town and followed me without me noticing. And I didn't just stop some twenty feet into the trees either. I walked for a good half hour before I let out Hestia and Benedict for free time and maybe training. We never got to the second part.

I think I was in the middle of imitating a Parasect to entertain them, when Ryan appeared. My first thought was to hide Hestia, but after thinking for a second I realized it was too late. Ryan wasn't happy. I tried to explain while he demanded to know why I was in his town, and what I was planning out there.

He threw a stick at me, a big one. Things got worse, because Hestia jumped in and knocked the stick away. Benedict and Hestia were guarding me and he took that to mean I wanted a Pokémon battle. Not a friendly one either. He let out his Bronzor, a blue grey metal disk with only eyes for a face and orbs around it edges. And because I had two Pokémon, he also let out Skorupi, a purple segmented scorpion, the first stage of Drapion. Before I could tell him I didn't want to fight, they attacked.

I want to say, that even though I didn't want to battle, Benedict and Hestia did really well. Hestia was able to push Bronzor back without hurting it. Benedict dodged and moved as seperate parts to avoid attacks and surround Skorupi. I had him try to hold it in place with a low power Uproar. Bronzor went in to help and caught Hestia off guard, and then used Feint Attack on Benedict. I had no choice but to use a combo attack I had thought of, but never tried in a real battle, not even with Agatha. Hestia moved away and used Flamethrower to blanket the air above two feet high with fire. At the same time, Benedict ran around the other two Pokémon while using Sleep Powder. It worked better than I had hoped. The two paid attention to dodging the Flamethrower by staying low and didn't notice they were caught up in the Sleep Powder.

With them down, I tried to explain to Ryan what I was doing. He had a good point, if I wasn't doing anything wrong, why was I hiding? I told him about the old battle site from the war, and the mayor of the old town, and how people in Sunyshore City looked at Hestia. I said I was afraid of the way people might treat me, and us, if they found out. He didn't want to listen until I recalled Hestia and Benedict. I told him how I had always wanted to see Sinnoh for myself and didn't think I'd ever get the chance. And I really did just want to explore, see new things, and make friends.

I don't know if he believed me. He recalled his Pokémon and left. I haven't seen him since. Meredith offered to go with me to talk to him. I said I would think about it. It's not like I'm breaking any laws. I can't get in trouble for just being here, even if I am from Kanto. That doesn't mean people won't treat me poorly though. I hope if he tells people, they can be more accepting. I like it here.

Statuary Town has no shortage of tourists. The next curator of the museum started a program to take advantage of that, introductory sculpture classes. Rowan, the one who made those Pokémon figures I told you about, was in the class for four weeks. His work was put on display, in part to show what an amatuer could do with just a a little bit of instruction.

I've always been a drawer. Sketcher? Pencilist? I don't know the term, but you know what I mean. I draw stuff, not make things out of clay. It's not as different as I thought. I mean, of course it's a whole different skill set. For one, both my hands are very involved. For another, I have to think about more than one angle. Which is more of a problem than I was expecting. And I'm the only one having that particular problem, it seems... But drawing and sculpting aren't that different. You start with a blank slate, then keeping what you want to create in mind, you make basic shapes. Things like circles and ovals or rectangles. Those get refined into a recognizable form. As you continue, you add more and more layers of detail. That's how I started out with drawing. Now I'm skilled enough to skip those parts here and there, but this is the most effective way to do it. It all works the same way for sculpting. I'm not great, who is when they first start? I'm going to keep going to classes until we leave and I plan to get better at it.

The thing that disappoints me is that I can't share what I made with you or my family. I can't carry these with me. Shipping them home would cost way more than I can afford. I'll have to leave them here. Maybe they'll hold onto them for me. Or they could put them up in the museum! It's possible!

I feel better now, I think. I'm going to try to sleep. Goodnight, Ash.

-Samuel Oak

April 9, 1961

Dear Ash,

Ryan didn't keep it a secret. I shouldn't feel angry with him, I get why he did it. I can't help but be annoyed, though. Nothing happened yesterday, and I thought I would be able to talk with him more. It wasn't until today that I saw a difference. People looking at me, avoiding me. One of the local restaurants refused to serve Meredith as long as she was with me. I hope this doesn't affect her work. The worst of it is, I was asked not to come back to the sculpting class. They wouldn't say why, but it was obvious anyway. Can't have anyone from Kanto touching their precious special clay. They at least let me take what I had made. I have no place for it, unfortunately.

It isn't all bad. The hostel staff are more wary, but are still letting me stay. I have a new set of roommates. They were the one of the few okay with sharing a room with me for tonight and tomorrow. More than okay, they volunteered. Jacob and Stone were hyped to find out where I was from. I've spent the last few hours answering a barrage of questions about Kanto, Johto, and Unova. They begged me to let them see Hestia, who was reluctant, but I made sure they respected her. Those two were over the moon to see a real Charmeleon. It's funny, they were just a hair disappointed. The way Ryan had told the story, or the rumor told it, Hestia was a fearsome giant lizard. The two thought she would be a Charizard. Not yet, but one day I hope.

Refreshing doesn't begin to cover how much I like being with these two. They aren't even Pokémon trainers like I thought they would be. They're art students at the local academy, or would be if their papers would arrive. Some kind of problem with the mail, I don't know. Once they get in officially, they can move into the dorms. I was so happy when they said they were glad their paperwork got lost, because they got to bunk with me. Do you know how that feels? To be liked and wanted so much that people are happy about a problem they've had? I'm both embarrassed and touched.

Stone and Jacob aren't the only nice ones. Meredith of course has been doing her best to reassure me. And Happiny has been with me since lunch. As a matter of fact, she taught me her game. Well, she tried to teach me her game. Benedict had to translate, because I couldn't understand Happiny's version of charades. She was trying to describe "flat" by putting her hands together and then separating them. How was I supposed to get that?

Here's what I was able to figure out. You collect rocks, sticks, and leaves or grass throughout the day. Each day you have to play with new pieces. The players take turns setting down sticks to make a board of some kind, in whatever shape they want. We used about twenty small sticks and the board wasn't very big. Then they take turns setting the leaves or something in the spaces. After that is the actual game, which is a strange form of checkers. Rocks are set up on each player's side and they have to get them to another player's side to win. Flat rocks can jump over round ones, but not other flat ones. Round rocks can move through leaf spaces. And rocks with one flat side can pin down other rocks, and can't be jumped over while doing so. I think. You try learning a game from a pair that can only say their own name and one has no hands. I'll have to keep playing and hopefully I'll get it eventually.

Derek found me in the street. He apologized for Ryan and the way everyone in town was reacting. He admitted to some bad thoughts himself, but said he wished he hadn't. I've been on the other side of all this before. It was a long time ago now, but I can remember it. I know these feelings aren't very rational, or controllable. It still hurts, but I know why it's like this. Derek was nice. He tried to ask me about what I thought of Sinnoh, but Meredith asked for my help with something and we didn't get to talk more after. It was nice of him to say what he did. I hope I see him tomorrow.

That will be our last full day in Statuary Town. The morning after, we're taking another bus to Pastoria City. If \the weather doesn't decide to snow one last time, it will only take one day to get there. In a way, I'm glad to be leaving. I wish it was different here, that either people hadn't found out or that they had been more accepting. Maybe I could have handled it better. I really wish I could have finished my class. In Pastoria City, maybe it will be different.

-Samuel Oak

April 12, 1961

Dear Ash,

Welcome to the land of the Croagunk. Where Croagunk are the frog's legs. Don't know what a Croagunk is? From all the figures, posters, all the other items sold in gift shops, and the various descriptions I've been given, I gather that it's like a Politoed except taller and black and blue in color. Every house will have a new baby Croagunk, in about five weeks. The people are so excited, it's all they'll talk about.

Every year, there's a contest to see who can raise the best Croagunk. During the winter, they hibernate in the Great Marsh. When spring comes, which is supposed to be soon, they wake up and begin mating within a few weeks. And they aren't sentimental Pokémon. Each one will have multiple mates, Meredith tells me. Everyone else tried to avoid that point, for some reason. And so there will be way too many eggs. In the past, baby Croagunk would explode out of the marsh, into town, and cause mischief. Until the people discovered that they really liked them. And that if each house takes one in to raise, the Croagunk make great friends. Thus the Pastoria Croagunk Festival was born.

I like the idea of it. Everyone takes care of a newborn that might not fair well on its own. All the people having a common goal and love for Pokémon. It is just one specific Pokémon, but they are super dedicated. Like I said, Croagunk is the city's mascot. Every postcard, hat, shirt, and business sign in the city has at least one Croagunk. I'm getting hyped up to see one. Once they wake up. Which, with the long winter, probably won't happen in the time that we're here. But maybe I'll find one when I visit the Great Marsh, who knows? Until then, I'll have to be content with the figurines.

The bus ride this time was uneventful. I mean that in the best way possible. No blizzards, no avalanches, no big Pokémon sleeping in the road. I wonder how that Darmanitan is doing now. Nothing big happened, it was a simple quiet bus ride with friends. More than just us two, we made a couple new friends. Benedict and Happiny had a sing off, which we were eventually asked to put a stop to. We had to threaten them with returning to their Pokéballs to make them behave.

Meredith was walking me through her reference book. It isn't very big and only has the most broad and basic stuff on Pokémon care. Meredith called it a standalone glossary, because instead of having all of the specific information you might need, it mostly just tells you what book you need to find for that thing. A poison type Pokémon with hives, check Camlett's Toxins of the Toxic. If a reptile like Pokémon is tired even on a hot day, ask Dr. Adler and Contributions to the History of Poké-Herpetology. Or if a Pokémon's attacks aren't behaving as they should, look it up in G.'s The Centered Stadium.

I was looking through it, hoping to find out what books might tell me how Pokémon attacks haven't been killing people left and right. Meredith was describing how to use it and what books I should read to get a handle on Pokémon anatomy. And there was this echo. Meredith would say something, and I would hear it again, after she was done. She pretended not to notice and told me I was being crazy. I just accepted it, at first. But it went on and on every time she said something, until I actually got up and searched for the second Meredith. Turns out, there was a Chatot hiding in the aisle. Chatot is a parrot like Pokémon, with a multi colored body and a black head, with something like an antenna sticking out of the top. Once I did find it, Chatot, Meredith, and Chatot's trainer all laughed at me. It seems Meredith had noticed it earlier and when it had begun mimicking her, she decided to play along.

I would have been more upset if I weren't so interested in a talking Pokémon. Unfortunately, Chatot only understands human speech in the same way all Pokémon somehow do, and can copy what people say, but they can't speak for real. They can't form a thought and then speak it like a person. It makes no sense why they can't, but Meredith insists that their brain just doesn't do it that way. Chatot's trainer even said they had tried to teach it, they really can't. I'm not convinced. The whole time I was drawing Chatot, I tried to get it to answer questions. Maybe I need more time with it. Or maybe I'm not asking the right questions?

I noticed that the thing on its head looks like a musical note. I pointed that out and the trainer said they had always assumed that musical notation was based on Pokémon like Chatot, and the legendary Meloetta from Unova. Meredith didn't know, since it had nothing to do medicine, but agreed that it made sense. Just how much of the human world is based on Pokémon?

The government of Pastoria City is treating Meredith like a pretty big deal. They even arranged a hotel room for as long as she needs it. And, lucky me, since I'm with her, I get one too. All to myself, even. It's been a while since I've had a nice big room like this all to myself. I had that room at the mayor's house weeks ago, but that was more of a big closet really. This is grand. I have a big comfy bed, my own bathroom, maid service, and the privacy to let Hestia out of her Pokéball inside! She was amazed, not as amazed as Benedict, but who can beat that eggs. Hestia has been loafing around on the bed for an hour. I think she might be trying to tell me it's time for bed. She's probably right.

I don't want the same thing to happen here that happened in the last town. But does that mean I shouldn't hide Hestia and avoid being accused of being sneaky? Or should I hide her better. I should ask Meredith. And Hestia, too. It is her we're talking about after all. She should get a say.

My plans as they are now, I'm definitely going into the Great Marsh while waiting on Meredith. I want to see a real Croagunk. I'm going to the library to see if they have any of the books the reference guide recommended. And I want a better tour of the town.

Yep, Hestia wants me to sleep. She isn't even pretending not to care anymore. Goodnight, Ash.

-Samuel Oak


	14. April 13-May 1

April 13, 1961

Dear Ash,

Pastoria City is a different kind of place than Valor Lakefront. There isn't one building or house over a hundred years old. The city is much older than that, but it took them a while to work out the swamp problem. All of the land around the Great Marsh is soggy and any houses they built would sink. Before, they would make the houses with an extra floor on the bottom so that it would go below the ground over time. Those houses worked for generations, but would eventually break down. These days, they can pack the ground with extra dirt and slabs of concrete to prevent sinking.

All this is to say that I finally, after months of being in Sinnoh, get to see truly new houses. You remember how I was wondering about that back in Sunyshore City, right? As hard as it is to believe, Kanto and Sinnoh homes are almost identical. I shouldn't be so surprised, Johto has the same kind of houses, and I've heard that Hoenn does too. Unova just had a different way of doing things, I guess. And I thought that since Kanto and Sinnoh had been at war for so long and never been on good terms even before that, as far as I know, they would have different ways of making stuff too.

The streets are becoming more populated with Pokémon. Until a week or two ago, I would only see a few people outside with their Pokémon. The snow has only just begun to melt, but everyday has been getting warmer. More than a few grass and ground types have been playing in the snow. I was worried that they might be hurting themselves, since they're weak to ice, but they didn't seem concerned at all. It's probably just not cold enough outside to bother them. If the snow gets to be too much, they can get out of it and go inside or something. I guess type advantages aren't everything.

The Pastoria City public library isn't anything special. Usually, if a place has the word 'city' in the name, you can count on there being a big library. This time, the library itself is shockingly new. The last twenty years new. They never had one before then, there was no need, I'm told. They only have this one, because the local schools petitioned for it to be built, and the government thought it would make good Pee Are. It baffles me personally, I think every place should have a library. How else are you going to find the answer to questions no one knows the answers to. The good Pee Are only lasted so long, I guess, and almost no one uses it now. The librarian and I were the only ones there almost the whole day.

Us and all the Chingling. A Chingling is this golden ball, with a mouth that makes up most of its body. They have stubby arms and legs, and each one has a twisted red and white rope on its back. Three Chingling work at the library as assistants. Kuebiko watches the front desk and greets anyone who comes in, he was the first one I met. Benedict and I spent five minutes examining him and trying to get him to talk before the librarian showed up. Tenjin is in charge of organising the books, and has a tantrum whenever one is put in the wrong place. Omoikane, the last Chingling, likes to listen to people, the librarian mostly, read books aloud. Afterwards, he can be quite the chatterbox. I didn't find any of the books I was looking for, so I spent the entire time I was there getting to know the Chingling. I want to get a drawing of all three of them together, if I can get Tenjin to sit with the other two for more than two minutes.

Meredith and I had a debate. Truth be told, I had a debate with myself and Meredith guided it. Hestia was silent most of the time, along with Benedict and Happiny. I've been torn about the whole Hestia thing all day. Do I let people see her so they don't think I'm hiding anything, or do I hide her? If I don't show her off soon, the decision will be made for me and it will be Statuary Town all over again. I have permission to be here and so does she, and at the same time I'm three steps short of being an invader. I've been jumping back and forth all day. I went to Meredith to ask for help, and I ended up walking around in the same circles. She would point things out here and there, correct me, or ask a question, but it was mostly me rambling.

I became surprisingly angry about the whole thing and I started yelling. I think I was looking out the window, yelling at the city itself, when she got it. I turned around and saw Hestia there, holding her Pokéball. She was holding it out to me, and I could understand what she wanted to say, "put me away. I'll hide so you won't get into trouble. I'm sorry for everything that happened before and the way they treated you. It's okay, I'll stay hidden."

And I couldn't do it. I looked into her eyes, and on top of everything that she's been going through all on her own because I can't understand, she has been worried about me, and how I feel. She was willing to be shunned and left all alone, to help me. I can't do that. Not to her. Not to MY Charmander. My Charmeleon. My first Pokémon. My best friend. And I hate myself for ever thinking I could.

I took the Pokéball and gave it to Meredith. I said not to give it back as long as I was staying in Pastoria City. I am not ashamed of my Pokémon, or where I'm from. And I won't hide the world from her. She, of course is still unsure and panicking about my decision. Thankfully, Meredith agreed and took the Pokéball, for safe keeping. Hestia has been out ever since. This all happened in the evening, and we haven't gone out, so it doesn't mean anything yet. Still, I'm determined.

-Samuel Oak

April 14, 1961

Dear Ash,

Having Hestia out has been interesting. Starting with the people working in the hotel. Most gasped, a few gave us strange looks, one yelped. Maybe I wasn't paying attention, but I don't remember getting such a big reaction in Sunyshore City. Annoyed faces followed us pretty much everywhere. Some who had been perfectly friendly yesterday would barely speak to me today.

I didn't get thrown out of any place. That meant Hestia could help me decide on a pair of boots for when we go into the Great Marsh. There are these big boots, that turn into overalls, called waders, made just for going into places with lots of water and wet ground. Benedict liked them, but Hestia laughed at me. So we grabbed her and made her wear them. Then it was my turn to laugh. I would have drawn a picture, but she would've torn them to shreds if I had tried. Those things are expensive. In the end, I decided not to buy anything. I have almost no money left and I won't until my next letter from home arrives. Hopefully that's soon. I can't rely on Meredith to provide for me.

We found a way to cheer Hestia up, a Pokémon battle. Obviously she's been in one recently, but it's been quite a while since she got to watch one. And Hestia's always been a bigger fan of watching than taking part. She loves to yell and scream from the sidelines and then talk to everyone after. I let her go crazy, perhaps too crazy. More than once the trainers and their Pokémon were distracted by her shouting.

The trainers were students at the local gym, featuring water types. Most of the Pokémon I recognized, like Goldeen or Marill. Buizel, a weasel with a split tail and an inner tube around its neck, was a favorite among the trainers. One in particular was quite full of himself. Hestia was trying to give the Buizel advice on a combination he used, a Quick Attack followed by a Water Gun. I know that's what she was talking about because of how she mimicked the actions. And it was the part of the fight she went the most crazy for. Buizel didn't care for Hestia's comments and spat a drop of Water Gun at her. Given how she's been treated most of the day, you wouldn't expect her to react well. She shied away. The trainer apologized and asked Hestia not take it personally, but I'm pretty sure she did. It took her two more matches to get her excitement back up. She didn't try to comment to anyone after that.

While we were there I saw a trio of trainers talking off to the side. It reminded me, you were traveling with other people. I didn't forget, honest. More like I didn't remember. I spent most of my time in the future talking with you Ash, that the other two slip my mind whenever I think of it. The whole event is sort of a far off memory now. I remember so much, but it's so far away that I'm not sure if I'm remembering right. Like, I think your friends' names were Misty and Brock, and Towa was the one who had my sketchbook, I think. I wonder how they're all doing now. Misty and Brock haven't been born yet, I suppose. But I mean when you read this, how are they? Are you still traveling together? How long has it been since we met? How old am I? That's a scary thought. I hope I actually learn the answers to these questions someday.

It's been a long day. Meredith gave me another lesson on Pokémon anatomy over dinner. Hestia is exhausted and has been asleep since we got back to the room. And Benedict found a stick that reminded him of Turtwig I think, he's been holding it and pouting for over an hour. I just going to go to bed. Good night, Ash.

-Samuel Oak

April 19, 1961

Dear Ash,

I'm wet. Wet down to my trousers. No boots would have saved me from how soaked I am. And I'm lucky I had the privilege to be this drenched and dirty. A few days ago, I was told that the Great Marsh is being turned into a sort of nature preserve. Certain Pokémon only live in the Great Marsh out of all of Sinnoh, and they're seen as very valuable. Many of them are in danger of going extinct from all of the catching. Pastoria City has begun to limit who can travel in there and what they can do. Mainly, no catching Pokémon. At least for now. There's a volunteer effort to guard the borders until towers and some kind of fences can be built.

Then again, some people like me, just want to look around. So, they set up a station where they check you for Pokéballs before assigning you a prepared campsite and a limited time pass. It reminded me a lot of border security. I almost wasn't allowed in, for obvious reasons. I made a strong case for myself, like my permissions to be in the region and the fact that I have no spare Pokéballs. Meredith also had to speak to them on my behalf. She tried to get the city involved, but they refused. It took all day, but finally one of the rangers in charge of looking after the Pokémon said he would be willing to watch me while I was in there. For the last four days, I was staying at his little hut. I haven't been able to write, since they limited what I could bring. Very paranoid, I had to fight to even bring my sketchbook and Hestia.

Ranger Malthus likes Hestia. He became a ranger because of he loves to take care of Pokémon. There aren't many jobs related to Pokémon other than trainer, breeder, or medicine, neither of which was he good at. Until the conservation effort started, he had floated from job to job. I should mention, he's almost sixty, and he didn't get to do what he really wanted to until a few years ago. Malthus was just as curious about Hestia as many of the younger trainers I've met. She had barely a moment of peace while he tried to figure out her perfect diet.

I'm afraid I wasn't much help to Hestia in her time of need. I was doing the exact same thing to Tropius and Yanma. Yanma you should already know about, the red dragonfly Pokémon. Tropius is a like a big brown version of a Bayleef, if you've ever seen one, but instead of leaves sticking out around the neck, Tropius has them pressed down. It also has leaves on its back, four big ones. I had heard that they could use them to fly, but I never completely believed it. The leaves are quite large, but Tropius is bigger than I am. There's no way those leaves should be able to hold her up. Malthus put me straight, they can.

Not only can Tropius fly, they migrate. Grass types don't often migrate like birds, except for Tropius. They prefer a warmer climate and can barely survive a winter in Sinnoh. Lucky for them, they're also flying types. In the fall, giant herds can be seen in formation, heading south. Malthus's Tropius friend couldn't make it this time. He pointed it out to me, one of her leaves had been cut during a fight with another Pokémon. She could barely make it off the ground, let alone travel long distances. Malthus had been tracking the Tropius herd for months and made friends with them. When he realized this one couldn't migrate, he insisted that she stay inside his hut with him. It's cramped and uncomfortable for her, but it was the only real solution. It's almost warm enough for her to go back outside, now. Maybe a few weeks, when the Croagunk wake up.

And Tropius has her own guest, Yanma. Yanma and Tropius have been inseparable since before Malthus found them. When Tropius had to stay behind, Yanma gave up on hibernating and stayed in the hut with her. Malthus has had to feed three mouths all winter. He says it wasn't easy, but worth it. Yanma gave rides around the hut to each of Benedict's heads. I tried to examine Tropius's injured leaf. It was growing back, both a surprise and not, I suppose. Limbs don't grow back, but leaves do. I wonder if they can shed them, like trees in fall? If they could, I guess she would have done so. I became distracted from all that when Tropius became jealous of Benedict's time in the air and flapped her wings, causing a small gale inside the hut. Malthus wasn't concerned, he simply picked one of the fruit growing around her neck and fed it to her. I really wish I had had the time to draw that. I did get one sketch of Yanma and Tropius together. I think I captured their friendship quite well, actually. Do me a favor, take a look and let me know what you think.

While we were making our way through a mostly clear, but especially deep section of the marsh the day before yesterday, we ran into a few problems. Hestia was struggling to keep her tail above the water. We had already learned that the water is rather cold, which makes it difficult to stay warm. Hestia would be fine as long as her tail stayed lit. But with the depth, that was becoming more difficult. I tried carrying her on my back, but then I sank in so far I had to struggle to get out. This is why we have Pokéballs usually. Each foot we traveled felt like it took ten minutes.

We had a goal in mind. Malthus said there would be a herd of Marill gathering at the far bank. I wanted to get there early to get a good vantage point. We were almost there and I felt something on my leg. I was pretty numb at this point and couldn't tell what it was. Through a hilarious looking balance act, I tried to get my foot out to see what was going on. A Carvanha was chewing on my leg! I screamed, fell over into the water, jumped out, and ran around like a man about to have his leg bitten off. I made it to the bank in less than ten seconds. No matter how much I shook my leg, Carvanha wouldn't let go. I saw blood and screamed some more.

Hestia looked ready to Slash it, but I had enough presence of mind to stop her. One of the conditions for us coming in here was that we couldn't attack the wildlife. We wouldn't just be thrown out, we could be arrested. Still in numb pain, I calmed down enough to notice that my leg wasn't gone. I'd heard that Carvanha, a blue and red fish with razor sharp teeth and a temper to match, were aggressive and would attack in swarms. Entire boats have been known to be lost. Yet somehow, I still had my leg. I wasn't being eaten, more sharply nibbled. The Carvanha's scales were rough and many were missing. Once I got closer, I realized that most of its teeth were tiny, like they were new. Except on the upper left side, where they were large, but very loose.

I tried asking it to let go. Hestia tried threatening it, I think. It would not let go, even when its only full sized teeth snapped. Yeah, they bent out of place like a broken nail. It would have been more painful to watch if I weren't already in pain. It seemed upset by the break, but continued to bite. In a moment of brilliance, I got out the meaty lunch Malthus and I had made for Hestia and myself. Offering it to the Carvanha granted me the freedom of my leg. It had some problems eating that too. The section of teeth was still hanging on by a thread and getting in the way. Very calmly and slowly, I was able to get Carvanha to let me pull it out entirely. After which, it finished the food and swam off.

I did my own first aid and much to Hestia's annoyance, stayed long enough to sketch the Marill and Azurill. Back at the hut, I told Ranger Malthus about what happened and showed him the teeth. He said it was probably an old Carvanha that had left or been abandoned by its school. They aren't great at taking care of their weaker members. The teeth thing was interesting to him though. Usually Carvanha lose one section, upper or lower on one side, at a time. Having so many fresh teeth like that one had is a big no no for them to survive well. It's probably why it was alone. Even though it tried to eat me, I hope it's okay. It must feel terrible being all alone like that. Okay, yes, I did go looking for it, it's what I do. I didn't find it, so I haven't been eaten. I did get a cool new scar and a Carvanha teeth set out of it, so I call this one a win.

I did so much when I was staying there that I can barely remember it all. If I'd had my journal, I could have told you everything. But right now, I'm having trouble putting it all together. Plus my hand is starting to cramp. One last story. One of Ranger Malthus's duties is to keep tabs on the visitors. He checks to make sure they're staying where they should, that they clean up after themselves, and that they don't take anything. Yesterday, I went with him to find a group that had been in the area for over a week. Problem was, we couldn't. There was no sign of them at their assigned campsite. It had all been picked up, no tents or trash or supplies left behind. Only the remains of a fire.

Malthus had been meeting up with them regularly and they hadn't said anything about departing. He became concerned. When we couldn't find anything nearby, we decided to split up. Benedict tried to wander off on his own, or maybe he was lost in thought. Hestia was unenthusiastically trying to keep him focused on what we were doing. If he hadn't though, we might not have found the campers. Hestia smelled something and called for me to follow. When we got to the new campsite, turns out Hestia had been following the scent of roasted fruit.

They were all surprised to see us, and some weren't exactly happy. I tried to ask them why they had moved and if they could come back to Ranger Malthus's hut with me. And I was asked what business it was of a kid like me. And what was the Pokémon with me. Only one of them knew what a Charmeleon was, and once they said where they were from, no one was happy. I told them everything about how I was there and about how I was being watched, and that Ranger Malthus was looking for them. They wouldn't come, saying to send Ranger Malthus himself.

On the way back, I had time to think. Not just about how they had treated Hestia and me, but about why they were in that clearing. I had seen all of their Pokémon, Rattata, Raticate, a white and blue squirrel, a Shellos, and a Misdreavus. The first three had seemed spooked and were huddling together. Benedict at this point was practically attached to my legs and I remembered why. He had a bad experience with a Raticate a couple years ago, it's what started his whole fear of bigger and more aggressive things, human or Pokémon. And then I was reminded of the Rattata bones we found after that. Now I know that it was probably the spit up from a Hoothoot or Noctowl, since they have been known to eat Rattata.

All that lead me back to the moved campers. I'd been there only a few nights, but I had definitely heard a few Noctowl. My guess was that they finally struck a few nights ago, trying to take away one of their Pokémon. I told Malthus when he got back and he went to check on them again. Once he returned, he said I was right about the whole thing. In fact, the Pachirisu, which is the name of the squirrel Pokémon, had been taken. It's only because of Misdreavus that they found it in time. I'm kind of creeped out at myself for being right about that.

My leg is healing nicely. All of the clothes I wore are still wet from walking and occasionally falling. It was some of the most fun I've had since I came to Sinnoh. And best of all, Hestia was having fun too. Getting to play with Yanma and Tropius and adventures outside with me did her a world of good. When my Pokémon are happy, I'm happy. Okay, time for bed. For real, I need sleep in the worst way.

-Samuel Oak

April 21, 1961

Dear Ash,

I received my first batch of mail since before I even left Unova. That was like five months ago. My parents should be worried sick. I wouldn't guess that from their letter, though. It is dated January 30th, I hadn't been out of contact very long at that point. It would still be nice if they sounded at least a little worried. Maybe their next one will. It's probably already on it's way to Sinnoh. Mom said the power went out for the whole town for three days. The three of them had to rely on Charizard to stay warm. She was probably exaggerating when she said they didn't see the light of day that whole time.

My brother is trying to find work around town. It's a pretty small place and every job is already filled. Dad has been encouraging him to go back to school, get a secondary education. To which he said, "not on your balding head," It's a family joke. It started when I was way younger and dad had a full head of hair. I'm told that now it really is balding, which just makes it funnier. I don't know what my brother's planning on doing. I've only been able to talk to him via letters since he started his own journey. I haven't seen mom or dad in more than three years, but him I don't think I've seen in eight. That doesn't seem right, but the math works out. Scary how time passes.

I read my mail in the most appropriate of places, the library. The three Chingling even helped me compose a response. Omoikane did, at least. He gave me a pretty good idea about which stories were the most interesting. With the librarian's permission, he even escorted me back to the post office so that I could send it. He spent half the time trying to wander off like Benedict, and the other half pestering Hestia for things. Hestia needs some more mature friends.

I spent some time at the docks. The fresh sea air calls, boats stand in endless blue waves, lost birds return home. Not a great poem, but whatever. I was reminiscing about Chris, Kangaskhan, and Mantine. Did I ever mention how much he loved his poetry? He used to go on and on for hours making the stuff up. It could really drive me nuts sometimes. Now, I kind of miss it. I had his address written down somewhere, maybe I should write him a letter. I want to tell him about the Shellos I saw today.

Shellos was that Pokémon from Sinnoh that someone had in Johto. Hers was pink, with bulbs on its head. It's the same kind I saw a couple days ago in the Great Marsh, too. Today, I finally got to see the East Sea Shellos. I knew what it looked like already because of the picture in the book 'Variations on a Theme', about how Pokémon change depending on where they're from. This was my first time seeing one in person, though. Which, now that I think about it, I saw a West Sea Shellos in Valor Lakefront, even though we were on the east side of Mt. Cornet... Odd. The East Sea Shellos have green bellies and a blue back, with little wings or flippers. And instead of flower bulbs, they have horn or ear things on their head. I don't entirely know which, I didn't get close enough to touch them and find out. Mostly, Hestia and I sat there watching them play with the Remoraid.

Winter is almost over! I realize it officially ended more than a month ago, but it just stuck around for weeks after that. Mom's letter really makes me appreciate the sun. The only snow left now is the remains of big piles that people made. At night it can still be chilly if you're outside. Maybe that's just how it is in Sinnoh. I'm glad to see winter go, spring means the return of Pokémon. Many of them are waking up and will be more active in the wild. Meredith says we're taking the bus to the next town again. Once we're there, I can explore as I see fit. That will be in two days, she thinks. I like Pastoria City, they've warmed up to Hestia and me, I think. I'll be sad to leave. But I'm looking forward to continuing my journey.

-Samuel Oak

April 24, 1961

Dear Ash,

Today, we are not in Pastoria, but a little village not far from the sea. It sits on a river and has a vast amount of farmland. Farming is all anyone will talk about right now. Night and day, all they think about is work. It's the beginning of the planting season for many of their crops. Their farm animals of choice are Ponyta and Rapidash. They pull around most of the heavy equipment, since the village is too poor to afford the modern machinery. I wish we had gotten here six weeks ago. They became unable to wait for winter to end, so had all their Ponyta and Rapidash melt the snow in the fields and thaw out the earth. That's sounds so cool! Instead I only got to watch them tend to the plants already growing.

Hestia, Benedict, Happiny, and I were able to spend some time in one of the farm houses. Not only did we see Houndour, Rhyhorn, and Hippopotas, but we also saw a newly hatched litter of Spoink. The various mother Grumpig seemed very laid back about their babies wandering around the pen. Grumpig are black and purple, with arms and legs, a spiral tail, and pearl like things on its chest and head. I say they have arms and legs, because it might surprise you to know that Spoink only have little stubby arms, a face, and a spring tail that they constantly bounce on. The farmer told me that the stories were true, if a Spoink stops bouncing, it can die. Can, but not for sure will. I can only guess that their heart doesn't have the muscle strength to pump blood without the assistance of the motion. Without it they become dizzy and might faint. Then their heart definitely can't keep up. It's like a Charmander's tail flame, it can live without it, but not for long and it's best not to even try.

They're supposed to have pearls, from Clamperl. The farmer said they don't let the Spoink have them, since it enhances their psychic powers and makes them more difficult to manage. Instead, each Spoink had its own little rock on its head. I felt bad for them, not being allowed to have something so key to their identity and biology that they naturally search for them at birth. I do understand why though. Pokémon can be difficult, and they have abilities that people can't match. If they had a way to keep Pokémon from causing problems, any non trainer probably would.

Benedict loved the Spoink. He split up and jumped around with them. One Spoink even tried to claim a head as its new "pearl". Benedict thought it was the greatest thing, being carried around. It was fun to watch, since Benedict was almost twice as big as the newborn thing. I was so sad when I had to take him away. The poor Spoink squeaked at me to give Benedict's head back. I broke down and promised to bring Benedict back tomorrow.

I wish Meredith could have joined us. I actually just wish that Meredith could be around more often. She's done almost nothing but work lately. Her work is important, and I really want her to succeed. It's her dream, her family's dream. The Pokémon Health and Treatment Clinics will mean Pokémon can be cared for all over the world. And I feel like a jerk, because I feel lonely. I liked it when we were walking and when we were on the ship, crossing the sea. No deadlines to get in the way of things. I miss spending the whole day talking with her.

The longest I've been able to spend with Meredith recently was during the bus ride. And she spent most of that time going over documents. We have dinners and sometimes lunch. And I help her prepare for her meetings occasionally. She has made quite a bit of time to teach me about Pokémon care. It's great. But not as fun, I guess. I want more time. Is that wrong of me? Am I being greedy?

Like I said, she was looking at paperwork on the bus. During her breaks though, we got to talking about where she grew up. Not about her family, this time. About the little field where she would play when she wanted to be away from her cousins. She would go through more than a mile of forest and across three streams to get there. At the time, she didn't just want to just be a Pokémon care professional, but an airplane pilot at the same time. A double life as a Pokémon doctor, who wing walks her way to Pokémon in need. She would run around in the tall grass and pretend to be dancing on the wings of a biplane. I could imagine the whole scene in my head.

That's exactly the kind of thing I want more of. But I don't know what to do about it. She's constantly worried about falling behind. She even said she might want to take buses to the next few towns. At least the ones where that's an option. Some are so far out of the way that buses don't even go there. You have to walk through valleys and over rivers and everything. Meredith is worried that those ones will take up too much time. She seems to be freaking out. She doesn't think she can do it all. And so I can't ask her to take a break for me. During the travel to those hard to reach places, we'll have time at least. I hope. I don't like this selfish side of myself.

-Samuel Oak

April 28, 1961

Dear Ash,

Haha, the joke's on you Ash! I met someone with an even more geeky hobbie than mine, collecting footprints! My new friend Sylvia has five different books filled cover to cover with footprints she took from Pokémon around town and in the wild. Not only footprints from the different kinds of Pokémon, but from individuals. She said that almost a third of her collection comes from Spoink and Ponyta alone.

She started years ago, when during arts and crafts they were playing with ink stamps. Her teacher showed them how to make their own stamps, and that they could use their hands to make unique prints. Sylvia became obsessed with the idea and collected footprints from all the Pokémon on her family's land so that she could compare them. She had real evidence to show me when she said that everyone really does have a unique print. It's mind bending to think about, and impressive.

She took me on a trip out into the forest to find "wild prints". She has this puddy she uses to fill in a foot impression, that basically makes a copy of it so that she can add it to her book. She has to wash it each time she uses it, but it's better than making a clay mold each time. I was able to help, surprisingly. More than once, Sylvia has found footprints too soft to copy, and she has to draw them by hand. And I am an expert at drawing Pokémon. Or as close as I can be. We sketched a couple together and I gave her tips on how to improve her technique. I tried at least.

Sylvia has been doing this so long, that she essentially has records of all the Pokémon in the area and when they were where. She can identify which ones are passing through and which ones are staying. And she knows generally where all of their nests are. My favorite thing Sylvia showed me way her bookmarked prints. Six prints she has collected from the wild don't match any Pokémon she's ever seen. Making them new and unknown species, as far as she's concerned. I could barely tell the difference between a few of them and other really common ones. And that was after she did a side by side comparison to prove they weren't just different members of the same species. The others were easier to tell. One of the rare prints was very distinct, like a wide, flat, human footprint, but with definite fur lines. When Sylvia gets older, her goal is to leave town and find the owners of these feet. I bet she writes a book or something. I would read it.

According to Meredith, we can leave the village as early as tomorrow. For once, the locals were on board with the idea of the clinics from the start and have actually been planning for one to be built right in town. The only thing Meredith had to do was tell them more specifically what they need to have ready and fine tune what they already have on paper. No one was more shocked that she was. She's never heard of things going this smoothly before. It seems people can be as strange and different as Pokémon. Don't be surprised if my next letter is from another village.

-Samuel Oak

April 30, 1961

Dear Ash,

It is good to be back in the tent. The fresh air, the sound of the wildlife and the trees, the cold hard ground under my sleeping bag. I love it. Meredith isn't as excited, but she's happy that I'm happy. It's just for tonight though. The buses don't go directly to our next destination. We had to get off in the middle of nowhere to walk the rest of the way. Starting in the early afternoon, we were hiking up an uncomfortably steep mountain. By the time we reached the next peak, it was time to make camp. The map says we should be in the village by lunchtime tomorrow, if we take the scenic route, which Meredith agreed to.

Earlier, right when I was ready for a break, I heard something off in the distance. Music. We followed the sound to a perfect scene of a Kricketune playing a song for another one. He rubbed his arms together, creating a beautiful sound that I can still hear, even now.

We were in awe for entire song. It flowed from one emotion into another, carrying my heart with it. Without lyrics, I can't be absolutely sure what it was trying to say. But I could sense that Kricketune was trying to express what his life was like before he met the other one. How, on the day they met, the sun rose for the first time. And how every day would be the first day of spring, if they could be together. I'm not poetic or great with music, but I could still hear all of that.

Meredith was so moved that she almost cheered. I managed to stop her, since I thought it best to give the two Kricketune a moment. The one who had been listening got up and said something before running off. The one who did the playing fell to the ground. Meredith and I knew what we had just seen, he had been rejected. I waited for a minute before going in. He was shocked to see me, and almost ran away himself. I was able to communicate to him that I meant no harm.

I told him how much I liked his song and that I was sorry for what had happened. I wasn't sure what else to do, so I just sat nearby. Meredith came in and tried to console him too. He barely moved. It was hard to watch, but that's what reminded me of Benedict. He was so lost after we had to leave Turtwig behind. I let him out of his Pokéball and let him know what had happened. What I didn't expect, was Benedict insisting that I let out Hestia too.

I didn't, and still don't, really understand why he wanted me to, but I did it. The three of them had a sit down. Hestia and Benedict did most of the talking. I'm not sure it was making any difference. Kricketune looked the same the whole time, like he wanted to crawl into a hole. Not that I could blame him.

Then the third surprise of the day came. I heard running nearby and when I looked, there was the other Kricketune! She had come back. We went silent. Not even a Kricketot would have dared to make a sound. She made her way to him, and sat down right there. She spoke at length about something, I don't know what. He, Benedict, and Hestia seemed surprised, for some reason. We found out soon enough. She made to play music with her own arms but no sound came out. She couldn't compose music, which is almost unthinkable for a Kricketune. Meredith says that their entire social structure relies on music.

And yet, he accepted her. Without playing a single note, Kricketune made it unquestionably clear that he still wanted to be with her. He loved her. I didn't see where she was keeping it, but she pulled out a shining stone and gave it to him. It was a token of some kind, probably in place of a musical gift. After that, both of them were happy. They started to dance and play a happy tune, and pulled the rest of us into it. It took her a while to even question the fact that we were there. It was actually kind of funny to see the look on her face. She got over it quickly and we all celebrated together.

It was a good day. My legs are sore. Not from dancing, I think they forgot what it meant to walk up and down hill for hours. I forgot how hot it could get. I mean, the air is still chilly, but so much movement in warm clothing leads to sweat. I need to switch over to a lighter jacket. And maybe even a new pair of pants. Definitely new socks. When I pulled off my shoes, everyone moved away from me. I couldn't leave them on, though, they were all sweaty! They made me wash my feet in the stream and rinse out the socks before I could eat dinner.

It's nice to get back outside. It's back to the hostel tomorrow, but I can deal with it.

-Samuel Oak

May 1, 1961

Dear Ash,

Today did not go how I was expecting. Though, I probably should have seen this coming. I think I was overconfident because of last couple towns were okay. I forgot that, being from Kanto is not something everyone can tolerate.

Everything was okay at first. We arrived in the village just after lunchtime. We got some food to go at a stand and made our way to the town center to let the official big wigs know Meredith was there. It wasn't far, they only had maybe ten buildings in "downtown", one of which was a shrine. Meredith made arrangements for meetings and we went to the small empty house set aside for tradesmen who pass through. So far so good.

The house wasn't really isolated, but there wasn't anyone else close by enough to watch what we were doing. I didn't think it would be a problem to let Hestia and Benedict have free reign. They and Happiny played her makeshift board game outside while Meredith and I got settled. A woman came by to give us some produce, as a gift from the priests. She commented that she had never seen a Pokémon like Hestia. Without even thinking, I said it was because she was a Charmeleon, which are only found in Kanto, where I was from. The woman was upset, I guess you could say, and ran out.

Next thing I know, a crowd of villagers have gathered around outside. There was so much shouting and a couple of them looked like they were getting ready to throw rocks. I was afraid they might try to hurt me, or Hestia. Meredith tried to calm them down, I tried to explain that I had been given permission to be there. None of it helped.

I decided it would be for the best if I left. I took my stuff and the tent and walked out of the village, followed by the angry mob. A mile later, I was alone. But I kept walking, I was afraid they might still come after me. Earlier, we had passed an odd set of boulders a Gravelor had been playing with. The Gravelor was gone when by then and so I set up camp. And here I am.

Right now I'm worried that I screwed things up for Meredith. Traveling with someone like me might make it impossible for them to listen to what she has to say. They might just reject the plan without even considering it. The Joy family needs all the support they can get. What she's doing is important and I don't want to get in the way of that. For now, it's best if I just lay low out here for a fews days. Meredith can find me when she's finished. Which might take awhile longer because of me.

I can't believe I made such a dumb mistake. I mean, I wasn't planning on hiding where I was from, but I shouldn't have been so blunt about it. I should have tried to get a feel for the people first. I shouldn't have had Hestia out in the open like that until I knew it was safe. What if they had gotten violent? I can't fight anyone. If Hestia had tried to defend us, they might have called on their own Pokémon. And it wouldn't have been a polite competition.

May 1, Part 2

Haha, well that was a pleasant turn. While I was writing that last paragraph, who would show up but Meredith. I was right that she could find me, I didn't think it would be so soon is all. She said she knew exactly where to find me, that I would obviously choose a place where I would be most likely to meet a wild Pokémon. I told her that wasn't my plan, but she laughed me off.

She's sorry for how the villagers reacted. She had a long argument with the elders and priests about me, but they still don't want me anywhere near the village. And Meredith can't leave her work behind either. Like I said, it's too important. But she didn't feel right about me being all by myself. I told her I was the one who left, but she said if she didn't come after me it would be abandonment. So, Meredith is going to camp out with me while she's working in the village. I think it's too much, that it would be easier for her to stay in the house they had for her. I was overruled.

When Meredith arrived, it was the first time since we were at the house that Hestia agreed to come out of her Pokéball. She feels guilty about the whole thing. It was my fault for saying what I said, but she seems to think that just being there and being seen makes it her fault. I had been talking at the Pokéball all afternoon, trying to tell her I wanted to see her and to share her with the world. That it really was my fault and not hers. She wouldn't listen. Honestly, I think the only reason she came out was to apologize to Meredith. Hestia went right back inside after. The worst thing about all this, I think, is that it shattered all the progress Hestia has made lately.

Today has been all over the place. This morning, I didn't think I would be frightened and alone by dinner. Before the sun set, I didn't think I would be this happy. Life is crazy, you know. I wonder what I'll do tomorrow. I suppose I have a lot of wilderness to explore.

-Samuel Oak


	15. May 3-May 29

May 3, 1961

Dear Ash,

Being outside is great, I've always loved it. But it's different when I have no place to go. I don't really know what to do with myself. I've explored everything close by. I don't dare get any closer to the village, and I don't want to wander too far in case Meredith comes looking for me. It hasn't happened, but it could. I've had to find ways to keep myself busy.

By a stroke of unimaginable luck, I found a Sudowoodo. I found it because I noticed the leaves around it had all been moved to make room for it. Either that, or something else had gone through the effort to make a ring of leaves a few inches away from that one tree. Naturally, it tried to pretend it was just a tree, but I wasn't fooled. Even after twenty minutes, I couldn't get it to give up the act. And no, I'm sure it wasn't a tree.

On my way back to my campsite I found a Gravelor, pulling rocks out of the ground and reaching into the dirt. I watched for a while, trying to figure out what it was doing. It would dig, pull out a few rocks the size of my head, throw them, and dig some more. The best I could figure was that it was looking for something. You should have seen it jump when I asked if it wanted help. Gravelor tried to describe what it was looking for with all four of its hands, which was way more confusing than I thought it would be. I guessed that it was looking for something small, soft, and with a tail or maybe feathers.

We looked and looked, digging where ever there were little holes in the dirt. We covered at least a thirty foot area, which trust me is bigger than it sounds. Graveler started to slow down. It was tired and frustrated. I suggested we take a break and I ran back to my camp to grab us a snack. We ate in silence, I don't think it made Graveler feel any better.

I saw something, something I almost never see, a mouse. Not a mouse Pokémon, but the real animal mouse! It came right up to Gravelor and started to munch on the crumbs it had dropped. I tried to quietly point it out to Gravelor and it flipped out. Gravelor grabbed the mouse and started spinning around in circles. All along, Graveler was looking for a mouse. The mouse was happy too, it climbed all over Gravelor, and gave it whisker kisses on the face. I don't know why, but the friendship struck me as odd. An animal and a Pokémon. There's nothing wrong with that, it's just, odd. There's no other way to put it.

I don't think about animals much, but they are everywhere. We all share this world together. They aren't as noticeable as Pokémon, and they don't do as much. But they are there. I didn't think about it at all when I was trying to get Sudowoodo's attention, but there were definitely ants climbing up and down its "bark". Makes me think I should try to learn more about them. After all, they are like Pokémon, with lots of variety and have different roles, but without the special powers and such.

-Samuel Oak

May 8, 1961

Dear Ash,

It's not going well in the village. I left a week ago and I haven't seen a single human other than Meredith this whole time. But just the fact that I was there is still causing problems. Meredith says that the elders aren't listening to her. They dismiss every proposal she makes, reject any facts she has as lies, and have been spoiling her reputation to the villagers. Yeah, they've been spreading rumors about her, being friends with an invader from Kanto isn't bad enough. The farmers won't let her examine their Pokémon because they're afraid she'll make them sick on purpose. The men in charge of construction won't see her. And the children are afraid of her.

And after a whole day of that, she has to walk almost two miles back to my campsite. Meredith is so tired when she gets back. She barely touches her food sometimes. I talk about my day and tell her every little thing that happened, because I don't know what else to do. What can I say? I keep telling her I'm sorry, so much so that she asked me to stop. I have to pry any information out of her, and she'll only give me the facts. She won't say how she's actually feeling, only that she's tired. My friend is feeling like crap, it's my fault, and I can't do anything to fix it.

Hestia isn't talking much either, especially around Meredith. She won't talk to me or Benedict. She doesn't play or train or explore. She just sits there until I put her back into her Pokéball. It's not her fault for being what she is, I love what she is, but I can't convince her of that. She's even worse than she was weeks ago.

I feel guilty, Meredith and Happiny are worn out, and I can't begin to understand what's going through Hestia's head. Benedict may be the only one having a good time. He gets to be outside and run around as much as he wants. We do training to keep busy. Or we go looking for wild Pokémon for me to draw. Graveler and the mouse are nearby, we've visited them a few times. I saw a herd of Girafarig with some Rhyhorn. A pack of Houndour. We have lots of time to fill.

Now I feel tired. I'm just lost Ash. I wish you were here so I could ask you what I should do. Maybe you went through something like this. Maybe you haven't. It would be nice just to talk to you again.

-Samuel Oak

May 10, 1961

Dear Ash,

Today started off in the usual way, I woke up just before sunrise. I've been trying to wake up early enough to make breakfast for Meredith before she has to leave. So far I've only been able to wake up at the same time as her and we make it together. She has to leave as soon as it's done and eats on the way. Benedict was helping me put everything away after we finished and something happened.

I can't describe it, really. There was this smell, and usually I would tell you what it was like so that you could understand. But this was impossible, there's nothing else that I've ever encountered like it. Not even Muk. Muk are foul in a eye watering, in an 'I can't breath' sort of way. Gloom make you want to take a bath. This, I think I could smell this with my skin. Yeah, that's pretty accurate, my skin wanted to vomit. Benedict nearly fainted. I wish I had a Pokéball to run back to like he did.

I dropped everything and ran away from the campsite. I passed Gravelor trying to bury itself. By the time I reached where the Sudowoodo had been a few days ago, I came to the conclusion the smell wasn't going away and changed direction. This resulted in it getting worse, not better. I turned around and went the other way. This time it did get better. Five minutes of running and a strong need to see my breakfast again later, I could breath better again. Better, but not free. The scent lingered. It set up shop in my nose and would not leave. But now it was at least tolerable. I didn't know what was going on, but I suspected a Pokémon was behind it.

To get rid of the smell I tried blowing water out of my nose. Then I tried directly sniffing Hestia's tail flame. She found that weird, but tried it herself once she caught a whiff of the stench that had followed me. Next I tried rubbing tree sap around my nostrils. Nothing made it go away. It did get better with each attempt I think. Once I could think straight, well, you know me. There was a Pokémon out there, and some sick, twisted part of me wanted to find it. I started to walk in the direction where the smell had gotten stronger, and turned away in less than a minute. Couldn't do it. Nearly ralphed on the spot. Instead I hung out near a small river for the next few hours.

I went for it again and got further, but still not anywhere close to the source. After another breather by the river, I decided to abandon trying to find the Pokémon. Instead, I took the most roundabout route I could to get back to the campsite so I could grab a few things. All of which may need to be washed. That will be difficult with the books. I couldn't stand the smell long enough to get everything. With all the time I had once I got out of there again, I picked through the books to see if I could find the culprit. My best guess, based how far the smell went and the area I'm in, is that a Stunky or Skuntank was frightened and sprayed something. Both Pokémon are known for the foul smell they release when threatened. I think I saw a Skuntank before, the picture looks familiar. But I'm guessing this was most likely Stunky. Their smell is weaker, except that Stunky are more likely to live in families. There are cases where multiple Stunky spray all at once. I say cases, but only one person has seen it happen. All other times, there has been travelers who reported entire sections of the forest covered in Pokémon half dead from losing their lunch. I'm pretty sure that fits the bill.

The scent lasts for at least twenty four hours, so no sleeping back there tonight. I went around the affected area and waited for Meredith near the trail. With Benedict's help, we at least had something for dinner and I told Meredith about what had happened when she found me. She said I was exaggerating, but refused to go smell for herself.

It was another long day for Meredith. The villagers are barely pretending to listen to her anymore. It's like talking to walls she says. By this point, Meredith was hoping to be done with this place and be moving on, and yet she's still at square one. If this keeps up, she really is going to fall behind. Meredith said she might call this village a lost cause and move on, she can't win them all and she knew that from the start. And I'm over here remembering that this all could have been avoided if I had kept my mouth shut. Or better yet, wasn't there to begin with. They aren't rejecting the Joy's plan because they don't like it or because they think it won't work, they're rejecting her because of me. And I spent the day trying to stay out of Stunky stink.

We have a fire and Hestia to keep us warm, but no sleeping bags or tent and nothing for breakfast. Just a few more things that wouldn't be a problem without me. Maybe I can make it up to her somehow.

-Samuel Oak

Meredith, I don't know how much time I have to write this. I was picking up things where we slept last night and I heard voices. They were men from the village. It sounded like they were looking for me. I think I managed to sneak away without them noticing me, but I had to leave some things behind, sorry. I'm leaving this here because I don't think they'll go into the area covered in Stunky stink. But I'm not staying here. I won't write down where I'm going in case someone else finds this. But I want you to know what happened. I'll come back when I think it's safe.

Goodbye for now, Sammy

Sammy,

I found your note. I looked around, but couldn't find you. I'm going back to find out more about what happened. If you come back, hide, but stay close by. I will come for you. Wait for me.

Meredith Joy

May 16, 1961

Dear Ash,

First off, I'm okay. I'm still shaky and I can't sleep, but no one found me and I'm safe. Days ago, some people were looking for me. I ran and hid on the other side of the mountain. I figured they wouldn't go that far to find me.

As you may have noticed by the previous page, I left my journal behind at our original campsite for Meredith to find. Which she did. According to her, no one in the village took responsibility for it, but it was clear no one seemed upset about it. To my surprise, she left, gave up, crossed the village off her agenda. No clinic will be built here, not any time soon at least. Then she waited at the campsite for me to come back.

I've been scavenging for food and sleeping without a sleeping bag, since I didn't have time to grab any of those. Second time in a week I've had to leave everything behind. I really hope this doesn't become a thing. Anyway, I went back today to see if I could find out what had happened or maybe reach Meredith. She was there and hugged the air out of me when I appeared. It was amazing, so warm and comfortable. I've never been hugged like that before by a girl. Meredith had put everything together and we left as soon as we could. That was earlier today and now we're miles from the village and on our way to the next one on Meredith's list. Hopefully the two haven't been talking. We're going to be more cautious for the next few towns. We should be there in two days.

Hestia and Benedict are shaken up, too. They were away in their Pokéballs when the men came and heard about it when I felt I was far enough away. Ever since, they've been standing guard around me and refusing to return. Even now, Benedict has formed a circle around me and Meredith, inside the tent. It doesn't do much good, but it makes him feel better. I can tell he's tired. Every few seconds, one of his heads nearly falls over. When he jolts awake, all the heads do the same little jump. Hestia is my personal bodyguard and won't leave my side. She might look like she wants to snuggle, being down on all fours, if her back weren't straight as a rod and her tail weren't moving around like a snake. I'm still nervous and it's kind of hard to relax with them behaving like this. But I also feel touched by how concerned they are.

I don't know if I can sleep, but I'm going to try. Meredith wants to walk as far as possible tomorrow. I think it's probably a good idea.

-Samuel Oak

May 19, 1961

Dear Ash,

Not to sound too optimistic, but this village seems nice. Meredith went in ahead of me and poked around making sure that no one from the last village came by to spread rumors. It feels like an overreaction to be so cautious, yet we agreed it would be safer. They hadn't heard about me, and were expecting Meredith. She's actually a day or two behind. She came back for me and introduced me as a traveling companion. That's true, and it's what we always say, but since we're hiding something it almost sounds like a lie... I'm uncomfortable with lying.

I'm especially uncomfortable with hiding Hestia away. I promised her I wouldn't do that anymore. There's nothing wrong with her. Except that people don't like what she is, or what I am. Just because we're from Kanto doesn't make us evil, even if they look at us that way. We aren't bad, I promise. And we're only lying because they don't understand. Right?

I'm not sleeping in the village. I was invited to stay in a shed they were going to let Meredith use, yes an actual shed, but I said no. I told them I had personal reasons to want to be on my own. Another lie. I don't even really understand it. What does "personal reasons" even mean? I know what it means, but it's just so vague. And for no reason I can tell, they all accepted it. No further questions. Am I overthinking everything because I'm afraid of being found out? Probably. I insisted that Meredith use the shed. It's easier for her and I'm not in danger. Also it's a good idea for her to distance herself from me if something happens again.

But I really want to talk about what we saw this morning. Last night we camped out near the top of a mountain. We passed a still frozen lake at the peak and decided to stop a short walk from the river that was heading downhill. Before sunrise, Happiny made this huge fuss and woke everyone up. When I tried to turn over and go back to sleep, she decided slapping me was a good punishment. She was pointing outside and was in a panic of some kind. We asked what was up, but she shushed us. In the distance, I could hear a faint, but tremendous roar I've only heard a few times in my whole life. The unforgettable cry of Gyarados.

Meredith recognized it too, and we flew out of the tent. There was no sign of them at the river, just the sound. It was coming from up the mountain. As we got closer, I recognized there was more than one. Three at least. I couldn't tell if I was scared or excited. Probably excited, since I was running towards the sound.

When Meredith and I reached the lake, the sun was still below the horizon, even from the peak. The stars were fading and the sky was turning red-orange. Fog ran through the trees. The ground was wet. And you wouldn't have noticed any of that because in the lake were no less than twenty Gyarados. The sheet of ice that had covered the lake the night before had been shattered to pieces. Piles of shards had been pushed around. Huge chunks had been flipped over. We were lucky enough to see the last piece of pristine ice be destroyed, when a Gyarados blasted up through it. That's all any of them were doing, bursting out of the water and diving back in more than forty feet away.

I wish you could have seen it Ash. Short of that, I wish I had grabbed my sketchbook when I ran out. Once the sun peaked out, the first rays of light shone through the ice fragments and the mist the Gyarados created. It was bright and I needed to close my eyes, even though I didn't want to.

I had so many questions. Was this some sort of ritual or just for fun? They certainly weren't fighting. Was breaking the ice part of the plan? Would they have been doing this if the ice had already melted? Where did they all come from? Yes there was the river, but I'm pretty sure that it's not big enough for more than one at a time, if that. There's an old tale about Magikarp climbing waterfalls to become Gyarados, was this it? Meredith said that it didn't fit the specifics as she remembered them. How was this happening?

We watched until the sun was well above us and the birds had even stopped their morning songs. At some point I noticed Benedict, Hestia, and Happiny with us. I'm ashamed to admit, I had completely forgotten about them in the race to find the Gyarados. They didn't seem to mind. They were staring just as much as we were. Even Benedict, who should have been A. terrified by all the huge screaming monsters, or B. carelessly amused. Either would have worked for him, and I honestly can't say which would have been more likely. All five of us, just watched the Gyarados play. It. Was. Amazing.

-Samuel Oak

May 23, 1961

Dear Ash,

I made a little friend tonight. This friend found me because it heard what I was doing. I've been reading Meredith's books, again. I've nearly finished all of the ones she carries around, and have started one over. It's the most interesting, plus after reading the reference guide, it makes more sense than it did the first time. Even though I am reading them, I'm not really grasping everything. Many of the terms fly right over my head. None of her books are 'an introduction to' versions.

So I was reading one of them and was getting annoyed by the fact that the more I read, the less I was holding onto. I tried to read out loud to force myself to focus. And you'll never guess what stopped by. A Zubat. Yeah, another Zubat. I think they like me. Or they're the most naturally curious Pokémon. It perched on a branch about twenty feet away and looked at me. I stopped reading and the Zubat screeched. I tried to talk to it, but it flew off. I went back to reading aloud. A minute later, it was back. When I stopped yet again, it almost went away, but I read again in time. For the next hour I read to Zubat. Imagine, a bookworm Pokémon. I wonder if it understood any of it. I know I don't remember anything, I was too busy thinking about Zubat. Once I decided to stop, it really did leave. I'm going to try to do the same thing again tomorrow.

Other than that, the last few days have been ordinary. I've been into the village a few times. I bought supplies which I was in desperate need of. Chatted with the locals, got to meet some of their Pokémon. Did some location scouting with Meredith and a woman who supports the clinics. Nothing extraordinary.

Benedict is fine, for the most part. Wandering sometimes, but never further than a few feet. Still doing training when we feel like it. Hestia's detached. I mean, she hasn't left my side in days other than to return to her Pokéball. But she isn't talking or interacting with us much. She's been like that since I ran away from the villagers. Always on guard and never having fun. It's just the way she is now, I guess. I can try to make it better, and that's all really. Just try. There's nothing else to do about it anymore. I can also hope.

-Samuel Oak

May 25, 1961

Dear Ash,

Not everyone sees Pokémon the way we do, Ash. To us they are magical creatures put on earth to work with humans to create a better future. To build friendships, discover ourselves and discover each other, and become stronger, these are the reasons we become Pokémon trainers. But to a farmer or businessman, a Pokémon might just be a good way to get things done.

There's a woman in this village, who manages her family's farm with cold efficiency, Gertrude. All of her children are cared for. Her own parents and siblings, and sibling's children, have food on their tables. Gertrude does not, however, take good care of her Pokémon. Not in the same way I would. Not in the way I think everyone should. Yesterday, Gertrude asked Meredith if she would look at one of her Pokémon. Today, Meredith did, and sent one of Gertrude's daughters to find me immediately because she needed my help that badly.

When I got there, Meredith and Gertrude were having a shouting match over the conditions of the pen where her Pokémon, a Staraptor, lived. The scariest moment was when I saw Meredith had lost that fight. I had no idea what to say, I was terrified. Once Meredith noticed me, she took back control and demanded my help. Staraptor, a flying type bird Pokémon, with white on black on grey plumage, and an extra plume on the forehead between the eyes that's red. Big, too. Almost as big as me. Right away I could tell what was wrong. Staraptor's leg had been twisted out of place and was facing the wrong way. On top of that, both legs were covered in lesions. The leg that was dislocated had a rope around it, tying Staraptor to a perch.

I didn't have time to be horrified or sick. Meredith set to work and gave me instructions. First, we had to reset the leg. Which sounds all kinds of painful. In the one bit of luck we had today, I brought along Benedict. I had him use Sleep Powder on Staraptor to knock it out. I held Staraptor still, while Meredith gently rotated the leg around and back and forth, trying to get it to pop back where it belonged. We had to have Benedict repeat the Sleep Powder twice before the leg reset.

After that came the lesions, sores on the inside of Staraptor's grip and between the talons. When Meredith removed the rope and found even more sores underneath, she actually swore. She applied ointment to all of them and put on bandages to cover. A process we will have to repeat until we leave the village, and teach someone else to do the same for more than a week after after that. Even that won't solve the real problem.

This was when I looked inside the pen. A birdhouse, just big enough for one, maybe two Staraptor to fit inside, with no room to move. And smelling of droppings. It looked mostly clean, but I could still tell it had been a couple days. And there was still that rope. I pointed it out to Meredith, she said that wasn't the biggest problem. The perch was metal, scratched beyond any kind of repair and thicker than my head. Staraptor had bumblefoot. When a bird like Staraptor has to stay on a perch not made of wood and of the wrong size, it will spend all of that time trying to stay in place. They're meant to grip tree branches, this was too slippery, hence the gouges. Bumblefoot is caused by this sort of thing happening for months, if not longer.

And the dislocated leg? Staraptor are known for being aggressive. It's what Gertrude wants one for. They take out pests and drive away other unwanted Pokémon and animals. To prevent Staraptor from chasing beyond the fields, they would tie it in place. At night to the perch and during the day to a Rhyhorn. Bumblefoot alone was bad, but the strain put on that one leg always being tugged, pulling Staraptor back into place. It was destroying the joints. Together, they resulted in what we found today.

Apparently, most everyone in town knew Gertrude wasn't taking the best care of her Pokémon. A few had even said as much to her. She would respond that she takes as much care of her Pokémon as she needs to, but that they do not come before her family. And that would be where the conversation would end. Gertrude did have a well kept farm house and most of her Pokémon seemed fine. Seemed, we weren't allowed an in depth check. Still, the way she neglected Staraptor to this extent really makes me angry. How can someone not see the amount of pain that that Pokémon was in? And what's a hundred times worse, I think she did notice and ignored it. I wish I could have told her off myself. I think Meredith was too easy on her. I hope I never encounter something like this again as long as I live.

-Samuel Oak

May 29, 1961

Dear Ash,

Tired, so tired. Will I be able to move tomorrow? Who knows. I couldn't do this every day. My mom once said that if work was fun, it wouldn't be called work, I understand what she meant now. I knew people worked and put lots of effort into what needed to be done, and yet I was unprepared.

I was invited to help out with the crops today. They had to be pruned and weeded and checked for pests. Someone asked if I could help out and I thought 'what could it hurt? It'll be fun.' I was wrong, Ash. So very wrong. Last time I helped out on a farm, it was more about Pokémon care. I didn't attend to any plants. This time, I was on my knees all day. I have bruises on my kneecaps. Or maybe that's just dirt, I couldn't rinse it all off and the soreness is such that I can't tell the difference. My hands are rough and dry. There are cuts everywhere. And I ate a whole day's worth of food in a single sitting. Meredith thought I might choke. I wish I were one of the Geodude that were gardening with us. No legs to stand on, rock hard skin, and the power to punch under a weed and pull it out.

And strangely, I wouldn't mind doing something like that again. Not soon, of course. There's something nice about the idea that you helped provide food for a family. Many families actually. The soreness lets you know how hard you worked. It's both a punishment and a reward.

In the future, I think I would rather have a job that's more fun. Mom might have thought that work and fun are incompatible, but I don't think so. If work can be rewarding, and fun can be helpful, then I think work doesn't have to be a pain. I just have to find something that's hard and interesting. Or maybe something that involves being around people I like a lot. I have no idea what that is, but it would be nice. A nap would be nice right now...

We've been going back to Staraptor's pen to check on it. We've changed the bandages once and will do it again tomorrow. Its living space has been cleaned and Meredith has argued with Gertrude every time we go to see it that the pen should be made bigger. At least Gertrude has listened about the perch. That was removed and replaced with one made out of a fallen branch. That one will have to be swapped out for a new one every so often, since Staraptor's talons will tear through it over time. I was told by one of the daughters that that's why they had the metal one to begin with, less maintenance. I understand that, but not how far her mother let it go, when clearly something was wrong with Staraptor. They had better take better care of it, once Meredith leaves.

About that, I had a chat with Meredith today. There's something I've been struggling with for a while now. This isn't really working for me, at least not right now. In general I like seeing the lots of villages. They're all a little different and I meet new people and Pokémon. But I lose the other part I've always enjoyed, the in between. The traveling on foot, out in nature, the solitude of the walk to the next town. I spent all my time in Unova on buses or trains and honestly it depressed me. You remember how I was always complaining about transportation sapping the fun out of travel. I was hoping to avoid that this time, and I've realized I haven't. Meredith needs to move from place to place quicker than her feet can take her. And for me it's worse than Unova, because we stay in each and every town for more than a week.

I have to go on my own. I need to walk. I need to see the land and the natural wonder. I need to see the wild Pokémon doing their own thing, without people to control them. Sleeping outside the villages has reminded me of that. It may be dangerous, no one to protect me if another town decides they don't like an outsider, but I'll be careful. And my way I won't come across as many. Tomorrow I'll leave on foot for Veilstone City. It should take me just over a week to get there. In that time, Meredith should have finished here and gotten a ride there. She'll arrive before I do and I'll meet her there. After that, I may take off again to another destination. We'll try to meet up as often as we can, but we won't be constantly together anymore.

It's sad, I love having a human companion. And Meredith is so much fun, and she's been teaching me so much. I'll be lonely for a while, but this is what I have to do. Not just for myself, I think Hestia might benefit from the extra attention. I can only hope.

The next time I write you, I'll be off again. Just me and my Pokémon.

-Samuel Oak


	16. May 30-June 7

May 30, 1961

Dear Ash,

Setting up a campsite can be a lot of work. Finding a wide and flat enough space for a tent takes time, unless you just wait to stumble upon one. If that ever happens. I'm only now really getting used to having a tent, before Sinnoh I didn't carry one myself, and this one is Meredith's. Hopefully you have enough water or you have to find a clean source to get some. You have to set a place for the food and decide what you should eat, older but not rotten first. If you're feeling energetic, you can make a whole meal. Having a fire type doesn't mean you don't need fire wood, your Pokémon can't stand there being your stove all evening. Then build the fire. Then prepare your dinner. It's all a big hassle.

That's not to say that I don't like it. It's troublesome and at the same time refreshing to know what to do and to know that I can do it all myself. I am my own person. That was never something I questioned, but it feels important to say.

And I am my own trainer. Benedict and Hestia were helpful, mostly, with getting everything together. After dinner, Benedict fell asleep in my lap and I couldn't move. My legs fell asleep along with him. He was just too cute to move. Hestia is there, not doing much. She isn't keeping her distance, but not talking much either. She may be tired from all of the walking. I kept her and Benedict out in the open all day. It made for some interesting obstacles when we were crossing streams. Returning Hestia and Benedict would have been easier, for someone less determined than myself.

It's hollow, in a way. The refreshing feeling of being on my own again. I found myself wanting to share how much I was enjoying the emptiness with someone. To tell them how much I didn't need them there. Not that I would ever say that kind of thing to Meredith. I liked having her around. Not just as a person to talk to, as herself. She was nice to even be silent with. Except that we didn't get much silence recently, with all the travel and work and going to bed almost right after eating. It had become hard to simply be friends together, you know? Walking on my own was the right move.

One of the things you never see from a car or bus is Pokémon playing around. You can see it from afar, maybe, and lose out on all of the fun yourself. If you can't stop and watch, you could miss the show. Sometimes the show takes a while to get going, other times it's crazy from the start. Today's show was one of those.

Between these mountains, there's a small valley. All of the Ponyta and Girafarig were grazing there. Just as soon as we cleared the trees, I could smell fire. Pokémon fire. You know how Pokémon fire smells different than wood fire, it's less rich but kind of deeper. The smell hit me like a wall. If I had had time to think, I might have thought it was coming from all the Ponyta in the area. Except that the first thing I see is a Houndour setting the grass ablaze and rolling around in the flames. It was having a grand time of it. The fire wouldn't last long, fresh grass doesn't burn as well, and it would move over to the next spot.

Naturally, this would upset the Ponyta who were trying to eat the grass. One Ponyta was especially annoyed with its antics and tried to chase the Houndour off. Houndour thought Ponyta was trying to play. So one did the chasing and the other did the 'you can't catch me' routine. Houndour was a daredevil doggy and jumped over Ponyta a few times. Once, Houndour tripped over itself, when it got up it sneezed, and fire came out of its nose! Dangerous and adorable. Ponyta started to get into it, too. It cut Houndour off and jumped over it when Houndour tried to go the other way. Ponyta might not have had as much energy as Houndour, but it was bigger and faster in a straight line.

Hestia began to cheer for them, ordering Ponyta to try a different strategy. She hasn't been this enthusiastic since Pastoria City. Whooping and hollering suits her. I decided to try to capture the moment, which was impossible. They moved around too much to get any one pose on paper. I drew what I could, drawing on the scene in front of me. I tried to make sure it reflected the real thing, as much as a still image can. It's like seeing it from a distance, through the window of a car. You see it, but don't feel it.

They did stop, when the other Ponyta showed up and not too gently pushed Houndour away. It didn't get the message until they all used Stomp at the same time. Not on the Houndour, on the ground when it was running at them. I felt the rumble from where I was more than twenty feet away. Houndour ran off then and didn't come back. Not that we saw, at least. I wisely guessed that the herd had had enough guests for the day and we moved on ourselves once I put a few more touches on my drawing.

Benedict has fallen asleep again and Hestia looks pretty tired, too. I think it's time I put out the fire and went to bed myself. I'm getting up when the sun rises, after all.

-Samuel Oak

May 31, 1961

Dear Ash,

I thought I saw a Starly in a tree. It's the first evolution of Staraptor, and I haven't been able to get a good look at one yet. As quietly as I could, I climbed up the tree next to it. I was in stealth mode, making sure each branch could hold my weight without snapping or even making a cracking noise. It was working, I made it almost to the top, where I could look down at the Starly. I found a sturdy place to sit and got out my sketchbook. Only to finally realize that it wasn't a Starly, but a clump of grey and white something. I couldn't make out the fine details, but it certainly wasn't a Pokémon.

Since I was already up the tree, I decided to relax and enjoy it. The forest looks much different when you can see so much of it at once. I felt small, the trees being so much bigger, even bigger than they seem from the ground. Everything else looked tiny next to them. The stones and the roots, the bushes and fallen leaves that survived the winter. So very small.

Carefully, I released Hestia and Benedict to let them have a look. Hestia had a hard time getting her balance. Even after she did, she seemed frightened of falling. We were pretty high up. She did get a few looks in, before getting back into her Pokéball.

Benedict loved it, eventually. He was frightened at first and clambered into my arms. One of the heads was brave enough to see what was going on around him. And then they all tried to jump out and explore. I wasn't prepared for the sudden change in attitude and nearly dropped three of him. For something that has rounded edges and no feet, Benedict had really good balance. He walked out onto branches and turned this way and that. He got dizzy when he saw the ground below. And he went 'woah' when he looked at how close the treetops were. Instead of drawing a Starly, I drew his heads enjoying themselves after having split up in every direction.

The rest of the day, Benedict was trying to climb things. Anything, from trees, to large rocks, to me. I may have added to his curiosity streak. He even tried to stack up his heads! He didn't get more than four at once, though. So now he wants to be tall. If he ever evolves, I don't think he'll be disappointed. The average Exeggutor is over six feet tall, I think. He won't be able to climb trees to get higher up, since he will be one. At least he has something to look forward to.

When Benedict wasn't trying to give me a heart attack in the tree, I was able to hear the forest around me. I thought about that when we set up camp, and I tried to simply listen. The way the leaves rustle in the wind. In the distance there are animals, chirping and stepping on things. A few Pokémon I think, doing something loud but far away. There isn't a person for miles. Just me. I like the idea of that. No one to judge me for where I'm from. No one to watch myself around. No one to try to convince that a Pokémon Health and Treatment Clinic is a good idea. No one to tell me to study. Okay, I didn't mind that one so much. But altogether, it feels nice. For now.

-Samuel Oak

June 1, 1961

Dear Ash,

I can't tell you how happy I am to have this tent right now. I used to have to run around, ducking from tree to tree, trying desperately to find a cave to escape the rain. Now, I find the driest spot I can, and set up the tent with the waterproof canopy. It does get wet in the process. And water from the ground gets in. There's just no way to keep it all out. Maybe if I had something waterproof to go under the tent. I'll look for something like that in the next city. In the meantime, Hestia's Ember can help out. Since the tent is wet, it doesn't catch fire. I have to open the entrance to let the steam out, but it's worth the tradeoff.

It's been raining since midday. Nothing heavy, definitely there though. I thought I could keep going and it would pass. It didn't. After three or so hours, I gave up and set up camp. That was hours before the sun went down and the rain is still going. I am so bored! There's nothing for me to do. I could read the book I borrowed, but I don't feel like it. There's nothing to sketch anymore. Hestia and Benedict are here, but there's nothing to talk about. Part of the reason I'm even writing this is to have something to do.

I wasn't bored all day, thankfully. In the time between the rain starting and setting up the tent, I did have some fun. I took a break to dry off. I had Hestia use Ember near me and I warmed myself up. I was feeling much better and the rain spontaneously picked up. Or so I thought. All the rain had drawn out something unexpected, Psyduck. It must have wandered away from the river and found us. And it had shot at me with water.

Hestia jumped back and started shouting at it. In Psyduck fashion, it didn't seem to understand. I asked why it had sprayed me with water and got no good response. What I did get, was another demonstration of Water Gun, shot straight up into the air. Hestia and I were both confused. I thought it might be trying to tell us something, but it didn't say anything when Hestia asked. It just shot up water again.

When we didn't react, it shot at Hestia. We complained and there was more water... Hestia shot back with an Ember above Psyduck's head. That seems to have been what it wanted, since it did the same with a Water Gun. It was a challenge I guess? Hestia fired straight up and Psyduck copied. Back and forth. I felt like a Psyduck, confused. Eventually they ran out of steam and Psyduck looked at me. I declared Psyduck the winner for getting its attack the highest. That pleased it, I think, and it wandered off. I'm still confused. And yes, I already drew that. Like I said, nothing to do for hours.

I don't know what else to write. I'll stop here for now. Maybe I'll add more later. This rain had better end soon.

-Samuel Oak

June 2, 1961

Dear Ash,

It hasn't stopped. The rain is lighter now. If I were only going down to the store, I wouldn't be worried about getting too wet. As it is, I need to get over at least another mountain, maybe two or three depending on the route I take. Going up mountains is becoming less easy with the dirt turning into mud. Going around will take longer, and I lost a bunch of time yesterday and today. However, I'd rather make it to Veilstone City alive. Around it is.

Since the rain seemed lighter, I foolishly thought that it might end soon. Just like I did yesterday. As you know, I was wrong again. That's several hours I won't get back. The worst of it is, I can't get dry. All of my clothes are wet. Especially my socks. Hestia is exhausting almost all of her fire attacks making sure we stay warm and the tent itself doesn't get soaked. The clothes I was wearing while I was walking are less important than that. I tried putting my clothes by Hestia's tail flame, so that they could dry over time without any effort. It sort of works, I have to keep moving them to make sure the wet parts are near the fire. The tent is still getting wet, which soaks back into the clothes. And even though Hestia doesn't move around that much, it's impossible to ask anyone to not move at all for long periods of time, therefore the drying heat isn't always in the same place. I may never be dry again...

Another Psyduck found me today. I'm pretty sure it was a different one. This one had a friendlier attitude. I was trying to get up a slightly steep section, which the rain had turned into a waterslide. I had tried to find another way up and it was all wet rocks. I don't climb wet rocks. So, I was walking, crawling really, up the waterslide and I felt something on my butt. My first instinct was to leap away and get a look at it. Being surprised from behind, the only way to go was forward, into the mud. As I was wiping the wet dirt from my eyes, I could hear an odd laugh, like someone imitating a chuckle. Psyduck, who has the perpetual look of confusion on its face, doesn't laugh out loud I guess.

I wasn't in a great place to have a chat, and I told it I was going up. When I turned my back on it, Psyduck started to push on my behind again. It was actually really helpful! Once I got used to it. Psyduck barely slid or sank at all, giving my a perfect brace to move forward. I reached the landing I was aiming for much faster than I thought I would. The cave that I was looking for was nowhere to be seen, though. A cave would be nice right now. I asked Psyduck, but of course it didn't get it. It tried to get me to jump in puddles and throw mud at trees. On a better day, I would have. I wanted to play, mostly. The rain was the problem. I was looking for a dry shelter so I wouldn't have to rely on Hestia. No such luck. I told Psyduck I couldn't hang out and tried to go. It followed me until it realized I really wasn't going to play.

I feel bad for turning Psyduck down. But I had to put my safety first. Staying out in the rain will get me sick. I've been trying to prevent a cold, but I think I feel one coming on. Running around wouldn't have helped. Neither would all the time I would have lost. Maybe I'll see Psyduck again when the rain has stopped. Not likely, but it could happen. Then I can play all it wants.

-Samuel Oak

June 3, 1961

Dear Ash,

Journey through the rain, book three: no end in sight. I'm not sure what else to do at this point. I've tried to find a cave and failed repeatedly. I can't prepare any food that needs a fire without Hestia having to either use an attack or stand still for ten minutes. There's no dry tinder in sight. So we've run out of premade stuff and will have to resort to seeking out fruits and berries in the wild. An outdoor chore, while it's still raining. Looking forward to that.

Hestia is getting pretty tired. Pokémon can only do so many of any attack and then they have to wait for it to refill, replenish, regrow? I'm not sure how to say it, but you should know what I'm talking about anyway. It's something all trainers are familiar with. I'm starting to see that it isn't as easy as waiting for a few hours for Hestia's fire to return. Each time we wait, she seems to be able to use fewer attacks. Eating helps, she always has more Embers after she eats than if she doesn't. Still, she can't keep up with drying out the tent anymore, even though the rain is lighter than two days ago when it started. Not only that, Hestia isn't moving as quickly. When she was really depressed she was slow, but that was different. That was more 'I don't want to do anything' slow, whereas this looks like 'I'm having a hard time standing up' slow. I gave her extra food to eat,and after some protesting she ate it all in a few bites. She can't keep going like this. I have to find a better way.

Today wasn't all doom and Gloom. Some of it was just doom. I had to go around a pond at some point. It wasn't a very deep pond, since there was a ring of Psyduck dancing in the center. Where did they all come from? There had to be at least thirty of them. And the dance was, well, well done. All of them were in sync, like they had rehearsed it. Can Psyduck even have that level of coordination? And why were they dancing? Nothing seemed to be happening. Pokémon attacks are usually pretty easy to spot. Subtlety and flashiness don't work well together. But there wasn't anything happening. Just dancing.

I've gone through what I borrowed from Meredith and there isn't a single mention of them doing this. Granted, this isn't a medical condition, but still. I found a reference to a move called Rain Dance under another Pokémon, could that be it? It would explain all of the rain. But they would have had to have been doing that for a days if that were the case. I'm going to write down what I saw in more detail and give it to Meredith in Veilstone City. If she doesn't know what I saw, hopefully there's a library.

I'm going to bed early. I want to try to find a cave again tomorrow, if the rain hasn't stopped.

-Samuel Oak

June 4, 1961

Dear Ash,

I made it! I am in a cave! Thank the Starmie, I don't have to constantly worry about being wet. Okay, it isn't like it's totally dry in here, it has been raining for days. Water finds a way. But it's not coming from above anymore. I couldn't set up the tent because the ground isn't flat enough anywhere. I'll have to sleep on a few rocks. And I'm still happy to be here. I used the fire to dry out my clothes and sleeping bag and the tent for the most part. All without Hestia's help. She can actually rest for a while. I can rest. Ambrose can rest. We can wait out the storm from in here.

Hm? Oh, yes, Ambrose. He's the man I found in the cave. He discovered it first, two days ago and has hardly left since. I was surprised to find the cave at long last, for more than one reason. I'll tell you about it later. And to see a person with a fire already lit was a great bonus. Right away, he invited me to stay and dry off with him. We shared a meal and talked about what we were doing out here. I told him I was heading towards Veilstone City to meet up with Meredith again and that I decided to walk there myself.

Ambrose is an anthropologist, which means he studies people and how they form towns and stuff. Like what brings them together and how do they change and grow once they are together. He says there are patterns to how towns form and create traditions. It's Ambrose's job to look for those patterns and write them down. That's the simple way of putting it. He's out here looking for evidence of a long lost civilization. There's a place nearby that has all the features that you would expect to find a town in. But there isn't one, as far as anyone knows. It all sounded familiar, and I asked if he meant that he was an archeologist. Ambrose found that funny. It happens a lot, the jobs of archeologists and anthropologists overlap and people mix them up. In many ways, he kind of is an archeologist. But more often than not, he is studying people who are still alive.

To my surprise, Ambrose doesn't have a Pokémon with him. He said he's constantly judged for it, but he doesn't like Pokémon all that much. They have their uses, and they're involved with human culture, but otherwise he himself could do without them. I understand why people treat him weird for that. It is weird. How can you not like Pokémon? Even if you don't train them, they're still really cool. And there's so many, you would think there would be at least one for everybody. Not to mention, they're a huge part of everyday life.

Ambrose did have something to say about that. He said that that doesn't seem to be how it always was. Evidence from ancient cultures showed there were always Pokémon, but they weren't around in the same way they are now. The further back you go, the fewer records there are. Those records we do have, talk more often about animals than Pokémon. When Pokémon are mentioned, they're talked about like mysterious creatures and are more like folklore than fact. He thinks there was a time when people lived and worked with animals more than they did Pokémon. And for some reason, that changed as time went on. Ambrose said it's a theory that has been passed around in the historical, archeological, and anthropological worlds for a while, but it isn't accepted at all. I agree, it sounds nuts. Then again, so do most Pokémon.

That's right! I haven't told you how I found the cave. There I was, wet and tired. My socks and shoes soaked and my feet pruned. I know that for a fact because they started to hurt and I sat down on a rock to examine them. While I was doing that, I saw that the rock had a strange kind of face on it. Traveler's shrines can be found everywhere, it seems. Even in the middle of nowhere, with no roads or paths in sight. Maybe there used to be roads, I told Ambrose about it and he wants me to show it to him when the rain stops, since it could lead him to what he's looking for. Anyway, the shrine couldn't have been any less than two hundred years old. After not finding a cave for days, I figured why not at least try? I took one of my coins and three of my berries I had found and placed them on top of the rock. Then I prayed for guidance.

Nothing happened. I didn't have time to wait, so I left. Shortly after, I came back to the shrine. Not on purpose, I thought I had been going straight. But there it was, with two berries and a coin. I had looped around somehow. I tried again, and again, and one more time. The last time, there was nothing left on the shrine. I was thoroughly confused.

This time when I tried walking in yet another direction, I was stopped by a Kadabra. They're supposed to only live near towns and cities. It was so out of place I didn't know what to say. It looked me right in the eye and then pointed into the forest. I guessed she, I'm pretty sure it was a she, was trying to tell me to go that way. I asked, but she said nothing. I wanted to take her advice, as a psychic type she might know what I was looking for. Then again, Kadabra aren't known for being helpful. When I tried to get more information, she reached out and used her psychic powers to lift out Benedict's Pokéball and open it. Before my very eyes, Kadabra's eyes glowed red and all of Benedict's heads spoke in unison. It was creepy. Kadabra pointed again, and Benedict bowed or nodded. He almost ran off in that direction and I had to chase him. I looked back to see what Kadabra was doing and she was gone!

Next thing I know, I'm in a cave with an anthropologist. Kadabra really was trying to help. I would've like to thank her, but I don't think I'll see her again.

And here I will remain until the rain stops. Ambrose and I are stuck with each other for now. Hestia will be taking a well earned rest in her Pokéball, while I try to figure out how Ambrose would react if he saw her. We can't afford to upset him when we're alone in a cave and no one knows where I am. Better safe than sorry. Having company is good, he's no Meredith, but he'll do while it's raining. I'm going to go sleep on some less damp rocks now. Goodnight!

-Samuel Oak

June 5, 1961

Dear Ash,

It's over, it's finally over. There are so many stars, were there always this many? I feel like I can see the universe. Everything is still wet of course. The mud on my shoes and pants hasn't had a chance to dry. Water droplets keep falling from trees. But it isn't actually raining anymore.

Ambrose and I parted ways late this afternoon. The rain cleared and I tried to guide him back to the stone with a face. We couldn't find it, but I drew him a picture of it. I had to go. I feel like I should be much further along than I am. The map says I'm two whole days of walking away from Veilstone City, if Ambrose and I were right about where the cave was. That's the shortest path and it involves going over a good chunk of a mountain. The wet dirt will make that difficult and will definitely slow me down. I'm eager to get there. The rain took all the fun out of being alone on the road. Right now I want a good meal and a real bed. Oh, civilization.

Of course, civilization doesn't have all the cool stuff. For example, I passed through another valley. Not very wide, but it ran the length between the mountains. Just like everywhere else, it had been drenched by the rain. Even more so, since it was where the rain from the mountains ended up. To be honest, in places it looked more like the Great Marsh.

It was there I saw fire, reflected in the pools and shimmering grass. A single stray Ponyta was crossing the water. The clear sky, the stillness of the water, the smell of mud and fire, the light that could have been the sun. It struck me. I wanted to write a poem about it, rather than draw it. That's a first. But I haven't been able to put the imagery together into a real poetic structure yet, or get it to rhyme. It was inspiring, though, so I'll keep trying.

I have many things I'm grateful for today. But first and foremost, I'm happy to be mostly dry and on course.

-Samuel Oak

June 6, 1961

Dear Ash,

I had a mixed bag today. I made more progress than I thought I would. If that hill over there is the one I believe it is, I should make it to Veilstone City tomorrow. And there's nothing to get in my way. Hardly any clouds today and lots of stars again tonight. Unless there's some freakish weather catastrophe, I'll be in a hostel by this time tomorrow. With a full stomach, too. Ah, what I wouldn't give for a bowl of soup.

On the other hand, we upset Hestia. I suggested we train, because the weather is so nice. Benedict was into it and Hestia, well, she tried. She actually pushed herself, hard. We tried movement exercises and she kept slipping. Then she would stomp around instead of jumping lightly, which only lead to more mistakes. We ran, and she tried to race me. She wasn't keeping up, even though she's usually out in front. That's if she isn't in an emotional slump. But she was trying, and failing. I could hear her struggling to breathe and so I slowed down, but that only made her more upset. Hestia tripped and fell, and when I tried to help her up, she snarled at me!

The worst of it was when we did battle drills. I didn't think it was a good idea, but Hestia seemed insistant. She Slashed and Leered and Fury Swiped like she wanted to break something. Benedict was facing her and he went into a panic from how angry she was. I think she must have been trying to prove something. I had to yell at her to cut it out. When I did, she turned on me and used a fire type attack. Except, there was hardly any flame. She tried again and again to burn me, but the attacks only got weaker.

Hestia must feel powerless after all that rain. She had to try to keep us dry and warm and take care of us. I put so much pressure on her. And now she's out of fire and it isn't coming back like it should. I can't imagine what that's doing to her head. We wouldn't be in as good shape as we are without her, but I wish there had been another way. Maybe there was another way, but I was too lazy to think of it. I shouldn't have relied on her so heavily. I hope that when we get to Veilstone City, she can eat and sleep and actually recover. And then I remember about the people, and how they've reacted to Hestia before. Just a few weeks ago, in fact. Will letting Hastia walk free only make it worse for her? Or would keeping her confined to her Pokéball only stress her out more? That's what I need to figure out tomorrow.

-Samuel Oak

June 7, 1961

Dear Ash,

I am so very sleepy. So I'll make this quick. We made it to Veilstone City. At about nine o'clock at night. The hostel took some finding. If Meredith hadn't reserved a space for me, which they don't usually allow but she paid up front, I wouldn't have a bed. She was waiting for me in the lobby. I wanted to crawl under the covers right then, but she heard my stomach and took me out to eat.

She's been here a couple days and found a tiny noodle shop that she liked. Not for the noodles, I guess, but for the owners. The couple met while on vacation in Hoenn and their son is abroad in Alola. They're crazy into foreign stuff. The place was covered in pictures and souvenirs from different regions. And they've always wanted to see a Charmeleon. Hestia had all she could eat for free. I think she gained twenty pounds. I thought the food was great, but that might be the hunger talking, since Meredith made it clear she thought it was bland at best. The atmosphere more than made up for any shortcomings.

We talked about our time apart. Meredith didn't have much to say, I wasn't expecting anything special, just business as usual. I told her about all the Ponyta and the rain and Ambrose. She laughed about the Kadabra like she knew something, but wouldn't say what. I also asked about the ring of dancing Psyduck. That confused the heck out of her, because Psyduck can't learn Rain Dance without help. It doesn't happen as they get stronger like with their other attacks. And she had no idea what else it could have been. I gave her the notes I made at the time. There's more specifics in there than I can remember now. She's going to send it back to her family for future reference. I'm kind of proud that I'll be able to give something to the Joy family.

The food woke me up, but now the need for rest is coming back. I have a lot of things tomorrow. But right now, sleep.

-Samuel Oak


	17. June 10-July12

June 10, 1961

Dear Ash,

Veilstone City, a place like any other. Except that it sits between two mountains and the ocean. Given it's position, I would have guessed it would be a small town. Cities don't happen in valleys, in my experience. And it is a city, never you worry, Ash. Food, entertainment, shops, the whole deal. People, too, people everywhere. At all times of the day. From my room, I can hear them going about their business at night. Not that I'm complaining, yet. The chatter is reassuring. I've made new friends and been able to spend time with them, which is a god change of pace. And this way I'm not bothering Meredith.

It turns out that when there's a restaurant that adores foreigners, foreigners tend to gather there. I met a couple from Kalos, a man from Unova, and a woman from a place I had never even heard of. Or maybe I misheard her... I'm the only one so far from Kanto, or even Johto. Not surprising. It would be cool though.

The owners aren't the only ones who like foreigners. They have a set of regulars who show up every day to talk about far off regions. Actually, they're just hoping to meet someone from outside of Sinnoh. The rest of the community doesn't like the place as much. Still, the noodle shop has steady business. I've actually become somewhat of a celebrity there. Again, no one comes from Kanto, so we're legendary. I've gone every day, sometimes more than once. It feels safer there. And every time, I've drawn a small crowd. I get all kinds of questions about Pokémon that I've seen, or the places I've been. I wish I had all of my sketchbooks so I could show them off. Hestia doesn't make many appearances. People ask for her constantly, but I don't want her to be overwhelmed, you know? I get overwhelmed and I'm choosing to be there.

And other times, I'm the one who's flipping out over someone from outside of Sinnoh. I met a trainer from Kalos, named Jamie, and her Pokémon Noibat. I had just as many questions for her as she did for me. Except that she didn't want to talk much about home. Kalos is going through a bit of a crisis right now. Jamie left to get away from it all. Lucky for me, she was more than willing to talk about her Noibat. She's a lot like a Zubat, and not. Noibat has the same kind of fleshy wings and sleeps during the day. She mostly eats fruit, which the noodle shop chef specially prepared for her. Noibat has big ears, each one almost as big as the rest of her body below the neck! And the ears do this vibrating thing that I guess is exactly like the inside of a speaker. They can make high pitched sounds that are so loud that it will hurt. Terrifying, or awesome? Maybe both. She's sweet, once she likes you. Hint, getting her to like you involves giving her your fruit bits or playing peek-a-boo.

Noibat reminded me of Zubat from way back when. I wonder how he's doing. Does he still have the seaglass I gave him? If he's evolved, he must have taken it off, because there no way it would fit after that. I shared what I could remember most about Zubat with Jamie. She's had issues with matching Noibat's sleep schedule, too. It's easier when they have Pokéball to return to. Jamie and Noibat only go to the noodle shop at night, and they're staying in town for a few more days, so I'm going to try to see them again.

I'm having a hard time deciding if I want the rain to come back. On the one hand, I was wet for days and smelled rotten. On the other hand, it's so humid now that I don't want to move most of the time. Even now, I'm not so much sitting as I am melting onto the bed. I'm sweating from just existing. I can't place my arms or legs over each other, because that somehow makes them hotter! The only relief I get is from visiting the sea shore, which unfortunately is on the other side of the city. So at night, there's no cool sea air for any of us. I ask you, is rain really that much worse?

Yes, of course it is. I may feel tired and cranky, but at least I'm not working Hestia to the flame. She's made a complete recovery, all her fire is back. All the Embers you could ever not want in this weather. Hestia's also doing better personally. Less angry. Still not talking a bunch. I shouldn't be happy that she's being standoffish, but at least she isn't frustrated with not being able to keep up with my demands. Hestia can relax. And get more than enough attention if she wants it. I'll figure her out, someday. I want to believe she'll be happy again. I just have to keep at it, and not give up. Right, Ash?

-Samuel Oak

June 12, 1961

Dear Ash,

And we're back to this again. Rain all day, the heavy stuff. I could take a bath in the puddles that were made in the first hour. But there's something different this time, I'm indoors! I can look out at the rain, knowing it can't get to me. My clothes are dry, my feet aren't pruned, and Hestia is resting peacefully in her Pokéball. Take that, weather.

Benedict and Noibat have decided they want play hide and seek, with the entire city as the playing field. At first, they just played in the noodle shop, until they got bored. Also, they were bothering the other customers. Jamie and I let them try it outside and they can't get enough. This was before the rain started, obviously. Noibat has an unfair advantage I think, since I can't leave Benedict alone. Neither of us can stand to be too far apart. I worry about him and he gets scared. Benedict doesn't mind losing, though. I think he's happiest when he's found, honestly. Benedict keeps trying to drag me out to go play. It's probably a good thing Noibat and Jamie are in a different hostel. They're going to have to make the most of the time they have together.

I've made up my mind to leave the city after my mail arrives. Cities are fun and I've met so many great people. The noodle shop is one of my favorite places in all of Sinnoh so far. But, nature calls. I've been in this region for half a year now, and I haven't made it that far. I like to take my time, but I can't stay in Sinnoh forever. I need to make sure I can fit everything in. That'll mean going straight for the things I want to see. Maybe some wandering here or there.

That also means that I can't travel with Meredith. I mean, we already decided to split up, but I might not get to meet with her again as often as I thought I would. Instead of me seeing Meredith in the bigger towns, I may only get her in two or three for the rest of Sinnoh. I don't like the idea. But my schedule, if you can even call it that, isn't fixed like her's. Maybe I can race to the places I want to go and get back in time to see her. Yeah, I'm sure I can.

When Meredith isn't working and I'm not with Jamie, we're together. Meredith claims that she's tired, but that never stops her from walking around the city with me. Yesterday, the library was closed, but the book store was open, so we went there and looked at, well books. Mostly ones about Pokémon and their anatomy. I looked for ones about their behaviour. We read in the corner and talked about what we were reading. I had to ask her to define a few words and explain what unnecessarily long sentences meant. A great little evening.

And tonight Meredith and Happiny tried to cook, using the kitchen in the hostel. I wanted to help and was sent to the dining area for getting in the way. I'm not a great chef, I'll admit, but I'm not that bad... For us people, there was grilled meat with a side of rice. And for the Benedict and Happiny, a special made fruit salad. Meredith even made a dish for Hestia that she could eat later, when we were in private.

Meredith's work is still keeping her busy. Even in the evenings, she has had paperwork to go through. Like the cooking, I want to be of some help. And like the cooking, she eventually sends me away. That I don't blame her for. As much as I try, I don't understand all the bits and pieces that go into these proposals. I can't be expected to, after all, Meredith has trained for this for years. I don't want to get in the way. But I won't be for much longer.

-Samuel Oak

June 15, 1961

Dear Ash,

I got my letters from home today. It isn't good. You know that my dad's Charizard is Hestia's father. He's older than me or any of my brothers. He's been a part of our family from the beginning. He's getting up there in years and hasn't been as lively as he once was. And it seems, that he's not going to live much longer. One day, dad came back from work to find Charizard collapsed in the bushes, and his tail flame was tiny and flickering. They took him to a Pokémon professional and they said he has less than a year. A year, but not a good one. As he gets worse, he'll be in pain the whole time. They can reduce the pain with drugs, but they're expensive and only reduce the pain so much. He'll be alive, but he won't feel good.

It's funny, and stupid, you know? We battle Pokémon all the time. They hurt and fight, and then do it again. There are all kinds of potions on the market to heal injuries or recover energy. But we can't stop something as simple as getting old. There are no chemicals or special attacks that will stop Charizard from getting weaker. Weaker until he just... stops. I mean, how could we not have done something about that yet? We have flying machines and balls that can contain creatures as big as a building, but we don't have a pill to save my dad's oldest friend. To save the first Pokémon I ever knew. How stupid is that?

Hestia's upset about it too. I explained what I could to her, and she started shouting and crying. Meredith and Happiny were there to help me calm her down. I don't think she understands. Not that I do. And I can't answer her questions, which only makes it worse.

There is the option to put Charizard down. To kill him so he doesn't have to suffer. I'm against it. Even if it isn't a wonderful life, he's still alive. I don't want to lose him. Problem with that is, this letter is from more than a month ago. Mom and Dad might have already made their choice. Charizard might be dead and I never had the chance to say goodbye. I hate this. He can't be dead...

And something else happened. I wasn't there for it, but they were still talking to the police when Jamie and I got there. Someone had run by the noodle shop and thrown a brick through the window. The place was open and there were people inside. Thankfully, the brick didn't hit anyone, but a couple who had been near the window got cuts from the glass. I overheard that a note was found on the brick. The owner tried to deny it when I asked him. When I wouldn't let it go, Jamie took a guess. It was about us. People like us, from other regions. And how we gather at the shop. And maybe, more to the point, me. She said that of all the foreigners who hung out at the noodle place, I was the worst. She didn't say it like that, but it's what she meant. I'm not welcome in Sinnoh. I didn't throw anything, but I am the one responsible.

I'm leaving the city. I was already planning on going tomorrow. Now I know I have to leave tomorrow. I'm putting people in danger. What if Jamie had been in there? What if Meredith had been? What if whoever threw that brick had seen Hestia and decided to do something even worse? I can't stay here. Maybe I shouldn't even stay in Sinnoh. I'm not wanted, and I'm not safe.

Jamie and Meredith both say that it's not true. I can't give in to fear like that. Meredith wants me to explore Sinnoh just like I've always wanted to. She asked me to rethink traveling alone, though. And asked me to go with her again. Even she thinks that I'm not really safe. But I won't put her in danger like that. If I'm going to keep traveling in Sinnoh, I have to do it without endangering my friends.

So, that's what I'm going to do. I bought supplies, more than enough. Maybe even too much. I bought a tarp for under the tent for when it rains again. I have maps of the east side of the region. And my letters home are all written. Tomorrow morning, I say goodbye to Meredith and Jamie.

This has been the worst day in a long time. I can't even think straight right now. I need some air. I need to leave. Hestia and I need time. I don't know how it will help, I just know it will. I just have to.

-Samuel Oak

June 23, 1961

Dear Ash,

It's been a while, hasn't it? For me it has. For you I guess it's only been a page. I haven't felt much like writing. Even when something interesting happens, it doesn't feel important enough to say. I've been feeling kind of lonely. I don't have Meredith to talk to and talking to Hestia and Benedict isn't the same. I was in the same situation a couple weeks ago, and I was excited to be on my own then. Now I seriously wish someone else was here. Maybe I left Veilstone City too soon.

I can't stop thinking about Charizard. He's going to pass away soon, if he hasn't already. I look at Hestia and think 'is she going to get old and die, too?' Of course she is. Everyone gets old and dies, right? Charizard, my parents, my brothers, Hestia, Benedict, me. By the time your reading this, I'll probably already be old. I may even be dead. It could happen. We all have to die eventually.

Hestia isn't doing much better than she was. But strangely, I don't think she's that much worse. I might just not be paying close enough attention. I hadn't thought about how well she was dealing with the news until yesterday. I knew she was distant, but she isn't any more distant than she already was. I tried to watch her since I thought of it, and she's doing fine. Fine for her, I guess. I wonder how she isn't as broken up as I am? It's been over a week since I read mom's letter and I'm still kind of a mess. I'm getting better, maybe. Hestia on the other hand, is just being Hestia. I don't know what's up or what to think. I would think this would send her down an even darker path, and yet she's fine. Just, fine. I don't understand.

I don't want to end on another morbid note. So I'll tell you about a Pokémon I saw today. I was having a hard time getting around some bushes. They were everywhere. I could see the trail I needed to get to behind it all, way in the distance. But no matter how far I walked, I either lost sight of the trail and couldn't find it again, or twenty feet of bushes grew in my way. I usually prefer not to destroy things on my journey, but I haven't had the best few days.

I called out Hestia to have her Slash her way through it. Just before she started, she froze. I asked what why and she shushed me. She pointed into the bushes. I couldn't see anything and told her so. Again, she shushed me. She continued pointing, so I tried to see what it was. If the Scyther hadn't moved, I never would have seen it. I froze too. The Scyther was crouched nearly flat to the ground and glaring at something. I couldn't find what. But I know it was something, because Scyther inched forwards again. After a minute of silence, Scyther dashed forward, still low to the ground, like the brush wasn't even there. We lost sight of it then. We waited and didn't see or hear it again. So we continued on. My guess is that Scyther was hunting something. It's probably for the best that we didn't find out what.

Another hot day, another random encounter. And that's all I really feel like saying. I'll try to be more upbeat next time.

-Samuel Oak

June 28, 1961

Dear Ash,

Another strange day, this time I was ambushed in a meadow. Benedict and Hestia were enjoying the flowers while I sat back and thought about stuff. I'm still worried about Charizard. I'm doing better, but I wish I could share what's going through my head with Meredith. I think that would make things alright somehow.

Anyway, there I was, minding my business, and suddenly I'm tackled to the ground. There was this huge thing on my back, and I couldn't turn my face far enough to see what it was. All I could see, was pink. Then, wetness. I could feel the shifting muscles in this fleshy thing that was sliding up my face. I couldn't breath until it went away, I was in such a hurry to get air that I got some of its saliva in my mouth. Thankfully, as I started to hack and cough, the Lickitung got off of me.

By the time I could see again, Hestia and Benedict were standing ready to attack the thing. The Lickitung didn't look violent, other than the fact that it had attacked me. Which, I admit, is pretty strong evidence. But I got the feeling it wasn't trying to hurt me. So I told Hestia to back off while I tried to talk to it. I asked why it had knocked me down, or if it wanted something. It replied, in Pokémon. I had to turn to Hestia and Benedict, who both look sad now. I asked them "what?" Hestia pointed to her Pokéball. I thought Lickitung might be asking to be captured. Hestia shook her head 'no'.

At that point, I noticed that Lickitung was looking upset. Was looking for its trainer, maybe? Lickitung pulled out a ribbon from nowhere and showed it to me. I was right, I guess. It isn't often that you run into a Pokémon that's been let go. I can barely even imagine. Having a Pokémon you've bonded with, and just walking away? I know it happens. But I don't think I could ever do it. I've said goodbye to friends, and that was hard enough. Releasing Hestia or Benedict is basically unthinkable. For both them and me. I did the only thing I could think to do. I talked with Lickitung. About my loneliness and about how it must feel. It shared, I couldn't understand, but that isn't the important part. What's important it that I tried to listen.

That went on until Benedict wandered into the flowers and tried to eat something thorny. I chased after him and gave him a lecture. He ignored me and ran away like it was a game. And that's what it became I guess. Lickitung and Hestia joined in without me noticing. We ran around, laughed, Lickitung tackled us a few times, giving us all slobbering licks once it did.

After all that confusion, it turned into a pretty good time. I think I should try to remember that. I can be happy for a while, even if I'm still sad about something. Or, that bad things will pass? No, I'm not sure what it was that I learned. I just had a good time. I'll leave it at that.

-Samuel Oak

July 2, 1961

Dear Ash,

I am always amazed by what a kind heart can do. It can change people's minds, fix heartbreak, and in this case even change a Pokémon's nature. You know how Sneasel can be. Wild ones aren't trusting and even ones with trainers look like they might scratch you up to steal your lunch. Not all of them are like that, but it's their reputation.

Well, while in town I met a woman who has raised the sweetest pack of Sneasel you've ever met. They like to cuddle, be pet, play with string, all kinds of adorable things. And each one has their own stuffed toy. They sleep with them and it was unbearably cute. She had twelve, living in her little house in the middle of town. More than half of the Sneasel are strays that have wandered down from the mountains. Not that they all wandered here. This woman is known in the nearby towns for being the Sneasel expert. Whenever one shows up in the area, they bring it to her. She teaches them, raises them to be friendly and well mannered. Some return to the wild, others go to local families, and the rest just stay with her. She's breed quite a lot of Sneasel over the years apparently. The most social ones were born right in that house.

I spent hours there playing with them. And asking her about how she raised them to be so friendly. And how she managed to feed them all. And all by herself. She said it took more effort than she puts into her work, but it's so much more rewarding. I don't think I'm ready for it, but I could see myself doing something like that one day. Just a house full of Pokémon for me to play with and take care of. Right now I have my hands full with just Benedict.

As you may have guessed, I made it to a town. I stayed the night and resupplied. I miss people, but not these people, you know? I feel isolated on the trail, but out of place in town. That may be because of my history with people in the region and them finding out I'm from Kanto. In any case, I decided to only stay the one night. Now I'm back outside and back to missing civilization. I just don't get myself.

I'm going to try to focus on the road ahead. Mt. Coronet has little mountain ranges that split off from it. I'll be walking along the ridgeline for the next week or two I think. There are a few towns to stop in along the way that I'll be visiting. For the near future, that's all I can see. Me and Hestia and Benedict, walking along an old road. Sounds like a song when I put it like that. Anyway, goodnight.

-Samuel Oak

July 8, 1961

Dear Ash,

Remember a while back, Meredith and I were walking to a town and we heard music? And it turned out to be a Kricketune playing for another one, and it was like a confession of love? Coincidence of coincidences, something just like that happened to me again. Sort of.

See, this time when I heard music, it was more complex. There seemed to be more, parts I guess is the right word? I found more than twenty Kricketune in a stone canyon place. They were playing this big piece together. Each one complimenting the sounds of the others. Instead of a love ballad, this song changed and shifted. I was able to pick out four distinct sections, a rising melody, an energetic and almost crazy melody, a winding down and sleepy one, and last was one that felt subtle, a mixture of harshness and serenity. And these tones kept repeating, with little changes. I think it was supposed to be about the changing of the seasons, spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

Surprisingly, it took me more than half the song to realize that one of the Kricketune wasn't actually playing. It was standing up higher than the rest, and they were all facing it. Since Kricketune are naturally musical, I didn't think they would need a conductor. But that's clearly what this one was doing. It directed when to shift between seasons and when the various Kricketune should play louder or whatever. So, I got to see a real Pokémon concert. And for free.

And this is embarrassing, but I want to talk about it. I began to wish Meredith was there to hear it with me. The more I thought about it, the more I just wanted to have her around in general. Strangely, it wasn't just that I wanted to talk to her, I simply wanted her there, close by. I remembered what she looked like when we saw those other Kricketune. And how happy she was to see that I was okay when I ran away from our camp site. I thought about the times when we would sit and read and talk. That's when I realized why I haven't felt much like writing lately. I'm still worried about Charizard, but more than that I miss Meredith. A lot. Like, I think I have feelings for her kind of miss her.

It all clicked in my head. My worries and my disinterest in food and adventure all made way I had felt when I saw her after only a few days of being in the Great Marsh, or the week to Veilstone City. The way I was disappointed anytime she went to her own room at a hostel. Why I wanted to sleep facing her in the tent. I like Meredith. It fits. It fits so well, I can't believe I didn't see it before.

Of course, I have no idea what to do now. She's way in some town somewhere, so I can't tell her. Heck, if Meredith was here I don't think I could tell her. What would I say? What would she say? I'm not really sure it could work. I think we're great together. We think the same way about things. We both like travel and taking care of Pokémon. We make each other laugh. Isn't that all you need? Not according to anyone I've ever heard talk about love. They always say it's hard work and complicated. I don't see how. It seems pretty simple to me.

And now that I know I like Meredith, now I miss her even more. At least I know why I feel the way I do.

-Samuel Oak

July 9, 1961

Dear Ash,

Wow, I can't believe I didn't think of this before. And now, everything is better. Not fixed, but better. Yesterday I figured out that I like Meredith. And today I was thinking about what I should do about it. Do I tell her? Do I ask her out? Does she feel the same about me? Al kinds of stuff that made my stomach hurt.

At the same time, more than any of that, I'm sad she isn't here. I know she's out there and I'll see her again. But I want to be near her right now, in the present. Not having her with me makes things seem less special. Food doesn't taste as good. The landscape isn't as pretty. The tent feels huge and empty. It's hard to separate her from all of these things. And I don't feel like doing anything. I've been this way since leaving Veilstone City, but now I know what it is.

And I know what something else is. Hestia. I'm acting like Hestia. Ever since we left Unova she's been closed off and not enjoying things as much. Hestia must have fallen in love and now she can't be near that person. Kelly and her Druddigon, who we were with for weeks, were the first to come to mind. Hestia and Druddigon spent a lot of time together and got along really well. I didn't think anything of it at the time, but... So, I thought about it for a while and I decided to just ask her. I tried to be gentle, but I still saw the pain in her eyes when I asked her if she had feelings for Druddigon. Hestia nearly broke into tears. And I wanted to cry too, because I finally understood what had been driving her mad all this time. A broken heart. One that I gave her by pulling her away from Druddigon.

I tried to apologize, for everything. For not seeing it to begin with. For not getting it when she began acting out. For not understanding her feelings. I did all that. It wasn't until I was in the same place that I saw the connection.

And that made me feel more like crap. I have to do better. As Hestia's trainer, and her friend. It just all makes sense now. I still don't know how to make her get past it. Or if she should. I don't want to get past my feelings for Meredith. Hestia shouldn't have to either. We'll figure it out. Together this time.

-Samuel Oak

July 12, 1961

Dear Ash,

For the past week I've been seeing this big yellow thing out of the corner of my eye. Every time I try to find it, it's just gone. Yesterday, I caught a break, while I was on a break. I saw the thing, but I didn't rush towards it or anything. I sat perfectly still. I didn't get a great look, only that it was flat on one side and was flying. Clearly a Pokémon. I tried to get close, except it must have heard me and flew off.

Today I was ready for it again. I was much quieter and followed it as far away as I could, so that it wouldn't hear me. I learned it had three faces, kind of like Dodrio, but this shared a single head body thing. Kind of. The three faces were only separated by a honeycomb shape. The faces were arranged with two on top and one between them and lower. The top faces had a wing each and the lower one had a rounded behind. I feel safe in calling this a Combee. I read about them a few times in books about Pokémon behaviours. I remembered that they live in swarms, with a Vespiquen as the leader.

After tracking the Combee for hours, it was basically night at this point, I found the nest. More Combee than I could count flew in and out of a very old tree. I tried to get closer, until I thought better of it. The ones I've been seeing have been running away as soon as they noticed I was there. I didn't want to scare the whole hive. Instead I hid and drew a picture. I couldn't include much detail, since I was pretty far away. And I never did get to see the queen. Still, I think it was a good use of my afternoon.

When I told Benedict and Hestia about it they were both really interested. I think they would have liked to see it themselves, but there's no way all three of us could have been quiet enough. That didn't stop Hestia from giving me a hard time about not including Benedict. Which, was odd. She doesn't usually side with Benedict when it comes to exploring every little thing. Hestia's been different the past few days. More talkative, eating with me, cheering me up, she's even snuggling more. She seems, dare I say, happier. It may be too soon to say this, but I'm thrilled. It feels like she's back. Okay, not one hundred percent back, but definitely better. I think since we share this thing, she's less alone. We're in it together, I guess. Broken hearts probably aren't the best thing to bond over, but I'm happy to see her smile again.

There's just one more thing. I followed that Combee for a while. And even before that, I had been having trouble finding a certain landmark on my map. I had a general sense of where I might be before. And now I think I might be lost... Of course it's night, so I can't be sure. Once the sun is up, I can head back up the mountain ridge and go from there. I hope. I mean, the whole reason I bought the map was to prevent this kind of thing from happening. If I have lost my way, well it would certainly be embarrassing.

-Samuel Oak


	18. July 16-September 1

July 16, 1961

Dear Ash,

After an on-and-off shower, a slide down a hill that turned out to be steeper than I thought it would be, and a few questionably over-ripe apples, I can say for sure that I am lost. I cannot find this part of the mountain range on my map. I even took out all my maps, and placed them to overlap each other so I could see the bigger picture, and still have no idea. The last time I knew for sure where I was was that town, from there I headed west. I should be somewhere between there and Mt. Coronet. Yet somehow, I'm either way north or way south of where I thought I was. None of the peaks and valleys match up. I can see Mt. Coronet from the top of the mountain range, but that doesn't tell me where I actually am.

My options are to try and backtrack. Or I could head north and hope I find Celestic City. Go south and do the same for Hearthome City. Neither of which are great options. Or, the worst and best chance, go straight for Mt. Coronet. Of all the mountains in Sinnoh, it's the most likely to have some kind of traveler. Probably someone on a pilgrimage. Though, if I remember correctly, most pilgrims never make it to that part. But it's still more likely than random mountain number 208 to have people. It's also colder and less hospitable the higher you go. Even in summer. Then there are the rivers. If you're ever lost, find a river and follow it. Towns and cities almost always happen within just a few miles of a water source. Worst case scenario, I end up at the ocean. Which can also lead me to civilization. Eventually.

I'll have time to decide that later. Ever since eating those apples, Benedict has not been doing well. His heads are bumping into each other, which shouldn't be a problem ever. And they are splitting up, wandering off on their own. Again, basically unthinkable. Hestia and I have him confined for now. He keeps falling asleep randomly. And his shells are changing color. I think I'm making it sound worse than it actually is. But it all screams infection to me. So I'm pulling every trick I can think of with what I have on hand, which isn't much. He doesn't appear to be in pain, so that's something. Rest for now. Outside of his Pokéball, where I can keep an eye on him.

We'll see how he is tomorrow. By then I'll have decided what to do.

-Samuel Oak

July 17, 1961

Dear Ash,

I've decided to go west, straight for Mt. Coronet. I think it's the most likely way for me to get back to, or just find, people. Eventually. Since it definitely won't happen soon, I'm starting to ration my food and eating as much as I can find along the way. It feels like this happens a lot, me being short on food. Maybe I should hire a chef to follow me around and carry stuff to make me dinner every night for months on end. I can dream.

About Benedict. He's moving around, but still unfocused. As in, his heads can't seem to agree on what they should be doing. The discoloration is gone, though. That means that either he's moved on to a different stage in the infection, that he's fighting it off and that was the first to go, or that the color change and the disconnect of his heads have separate causes. Having two different problems show up at the same time is unlikely. And since he has no new symptoms, I'm hoping that Benedict is recovering. For the time being, he's in his Pokéball while I travel. He's getting plenty of food and water, he's the only one who I'm giving full meals to. Hestia and I check on him every hour or so. We'll do what we can.

-Samuel Oak

July 19, 1961

Dear Ash,

Ash, do you have any idea where I am right now? I am so far off the map, I can't even tell you. I'm so far out there, I'm almost certain I'm the only one who's ever been here. No one is going to believe me. How could I prove it? If I had spare Pokéballs I could. But I wouldn't, obviously. But I wish I had one of those portable cameras. My drawings will have to be good enough.

Ready for this? I was lost, I still am, but I don't care right now. The ridge I was traveling diverted north and I figured it would get me to Mt. Coronet quicker if I went down into this valley and straight up the mountain itself. Not the most sound logic. But I could see a lake on the way down, so I chose to go that way. When the ground leveled out, I took a break and checked on Benedict. He was asleep, he had been all day. Hestia and I decided to sit on a mound beneath a tree. I could see evidence of Burmy living nearby, I remember what the shavings of their cloak looked like.

I took out my sketchbook to practice my landscapes, it was small clearing in a forest, but I was feeling inspired. When I looked back up, I found a Turtwig in front of me. Remember Turtwig? It's that grass type that's supposed to be so rare, no one seems to know where they come from? And there it was, staring at me, like I had done something wrong. And it started yelling at us. I didn't know what we had done. Hestia didn't understand either, and she must have asked. After Turtwig shouted some more, Hestia looked around, grabbed Benedict, and jumped away. Then they both were telling me to move.

I hardly had time to stand up before the ground began to shake. The tree, the stones, the whole mound I was on, rose. I fell off, right onto my shoulder. I looked back and the earth was standing up! On legs! And it turned and it had a face. It was a Pokémon! A giant turtle with plants and trees and rocks and Pokémon living on its back. Giant isn't big enough, this thing was massive. From the ground to where I presume its shell ended, was more than eight feet. From one side to the other, must have been more than thirteen feet.

And I had sat on it.

Once I was able to process the fact that it was a Pokémon, I became aware that I may have offended it. I apologized as much as I could, with Hestia's assistance. Turtwig was still upset with us, but thankfully the giant didn't seem to be. It just sort of, stared. Like it had never seen a human before. Which I'm guessing it might not have.

Not long after, more Pokémon showed up. Turtwig, another grass type with shrubs on its back, and four smaller versions of the thing I had SAT ON. Yes, smaller versions of it. Right now, I'm thinking that either that one is special and unusually large. Or, they are like trees, they continue to grow ever larger, and that one was just really old. The others were only about my height from foot to top of the shell. Taller if you count their trees. They must all be part of the same evolutionary line. I think I saw references to them, but I can't remember much of it right now. And there was just this herd of them, surrounding me.

I begged for forgiveness. There was some kind of conversation, probably about me. I learned that the ones with the shrubs were Grotle, and the big ones were Torterra. The first Turtwig became upset and ran off. I thought I might be in trouble. The big Torterra stepped towards me and Hestia. I thought for a second it might eat us. Instead, it spoke, in an old, graveled, but kind voice. And it looked at Benedict. Who had apparently woken up during the comotion. One of his heads was crying out, another was trying to get away from Hestia, and the rest were confused and upset. Torterra said something loudly and several Turtwig ran up its back, while a Grotle came over and asked for Benedict. Hestia and I were hesitant, but they didn't seems to mean any harm. It took Benedict up Torterra's back to bring him to the Turtwig. They were chewing something. And then they each sort of, spat whatever it was into Benedict's mouths. He was brought back to me, still struggling. The Torterra said something and walked away.

I've spent the rest of my day taking care of Benedict. He's much calmer now. Okay, he's asleep, which is pretty much the same. He did seem to be getting more cooperative with himself as time went on, though. The Turtwig herd has sort of... adopted me? I was going to try to leave, except that they kept moving me back to the center of the group. They even brought me food. I took the time to interact and play with a few of them. And get a better look. I've taken up three pages of my sketchbook with pictures of them. After all this writing and drawing, my hand is kind of sore.

I was on my way to find people. I would like to talk to someone. Instead, I guess I'm staying with these guys for tonight. I cannot let this chance pass me by.

-Samuel Oak

July 21, 1961

Dear Ash,

I've stayed longer than I had intended. It seems surprising, because I don't usually spend time with Pokémon for more than a few hours. I meet them, play around and move on. You would think I would want to live with wild Pokémon to study them, since I like them so much. Well, that's what I've done this time. And not just because they don't want me to go. The Turtwig herd is just as interested in me as I am with them. I have a small fan club that won't actually leave me alone. Even now, a Grotle is trying eat my pencil. And this is such a rare opportunity. These Pokémon are basically unfindable. Any of them you might see probably all belong to trainers, who had them bred by other trainers. Like My dad's Charizard. I hope he's still alive... Anyway, to find them in the wild, and in such large numbers, NOT trying to learn as much as possible would be a crime.

Another reason, is Hestia. I always thought that grass types would be more weary of fire types. I've seen them be friends before, obviously. But that seems more like an exception, and in general they shouldn't get along. Nope. Hestia is just as popular as I am. She's getting all kinds of attention. And she's enjoying it. Hestia hasn't asked to return to her Pokéball once. She's laughing and playing and running around without me. She's disappeared a couple times and I had to go looking for her. There were the others with her, but I was concerned, you know? It's good to see her like this. I can't believe this is the same Hestia who a month ago wouldn't eat unless told to. I don't want to end her fun. We will have to go eventually. Later, though.

Benedict has made a complete recovery, thanks to Torterra. He's back on his shells and making mischief. The younger Turtwig love to play with him. He rides them with one head each, like they're Ponyta or something. I haven't let him out of my sight, though. I'm still being protective. Should I let him loose? We seem safe here. I might just be acting paranoid. He doesn't seem to mind me being overprotective, so I guess it's okay.

The only Turtwig, or otherwise, to not accept me so far, appears to be that first one. The one who was shouting me down from Torterra's back. At least, I assume that's the one. I didn't exactly take notes on who it was yelling at me at the time. It's just there's one Turtwig that I've noticed glaring at me from a distance. And that Turtwig was the only one to react badly to me being invited to stay. I'd like to know why they don't trust me. Getting close might be a problem though. They're always watching and hiding when it sees I've noticed it. And a private conversation is difficult when there's a large crowd following you. I'll try to think of something.

As much fun as I, and Benedict and Hestia, are having, we will have to go soon. I can only live on the fruit they bring me for so long. And I do need to go back to civilization. I am still lost, you know. Maybe another day or two.

-Samuel Oak

July 23, 1961

Dear Ash,

Some things I've learned while living with the Turtwig herd. Turtwig drink lots of water. They wander deep into the forest to tend to their own private areas. Like a garden, but with wild plants. They stick to their own space while they are taking care of them, but after 'work' they are very social. When relaxing with a Torterra, Turtwig will dig a little hole to sit it, with only their head and shell sticking out, see picture.

Grotle are the caretakers, so to speak. They seem to take care of both the Turtwig, various wild Pokémon, and the older Torterra. There are times when they will sit out in the open of a sunny patch and wild Pokémon with come and go, collecting berries from their backs. While the Turtwig will gather up when not tending to their plants, Grotle are more independent I think. Choosing to spend most of their time caring for others, but not working together to do so.

Then there's the Torterra. I think I was right about telling which ones are the oldest by their size. They must grow continuously over time. The one from when I first got here is one of the largest. It's also one of the slowest. Torterra move, but not often. The 'younger' ones are active and wander the forest by day. The older they are, the longer they stay in one place, only getting up to move somewhere with more sun or to drink. If they even do that. There's one Torterra that hasn't moved since I got here. It's buried itself up to its shell, and I can only tell it's a Torterra by the 'stones' and the way the Turtwig and Grotle gather around it. Torterra are like living homes. Smaller Pokémon live in the bushes and trees that grow on their backs. It's sweet the way they take care of their little guests.

Apparently, I got something wrong last time. Hestia has made friends. However, she's actually made one special friend. Yesterday I realized that the same Torterra was always with her. The other Turtwig, Grotle, and Torterra will come and go. But this one remains. It wasn't easy to pick out. You have to really pay attention to see the difference in a crowd of the same Pokémon. Unless you've spent a lot of time with them, like I have for the last few days. And I'm sure of it, it's the same Torterra. And they're constantly together. As a matter of fact, Hestia hasn't returned yet tonight. I had to make my fire myself. I haven't done that since... I can't remember. I'm sure I have. I sent out a search party and when they came back they assured me she was fine. Pretty sure that's what they meant. I'll try not to lose my mind waiting for her. I just hope she's okay.

Hestia needs to come back by morning, since we're going up the mountain. I've already informed the entire herd, we are leaving tomorrow and they can't make us stay. It's been so much fun getting to know all of them. I've done more than eight drawings. The food has been delicious and the games have been great. But we need to go. They're all pretty upset about it. This Grotle hasn't left my side since I told them. I think he might try to steal my bag or something to stop me from going. He's tried to take away my map before, so I wouldn't put it past him. I'm watching him.

Tonight is my last night. I won't find someplace like this again for a while. I'm not sure I'd be able to find THIS place again. I still don't know where I actually am! Tomorrow isn't just goodbye, more than usual it's goodbye for good. I wish I could say I'll come back some day. But I can't, I don't think I'll be able to. We'll just have to treasure the time we all had together.

-Samuel Oak

July 24, 1961

Dear Ash,

Great news, Ash! And maybe terrifying news, too. It turns out I was wrong, again. Hestia didn't just make a friend, she met a mate. I didn't even know Charmeleon and Torterra could breed, but I'm looking at pretty strong evidence that says they can. Today, Hestia laid an egg.

It happened in the afternoon. I was having lunch with her and Benedict, and Hestia went out of sight. I saw her walk off, but I thought she was, well, going to the bathroom or something. When she came back, she was holding onto a Pokémon egg. My first thought was that she found it. She said no to that. It was still very warm and covered in a kind of slime, proving that it was fresh, for lack of a better word. She let me examine it, but wouldn't let me hold it. Then I asked, was it hers? Yes. And Torterra's? Yes. I wasn't sure what to say or do. I was able to think that she might want to go back. I wasn't sure what that would mean. Would she want to raise it as a family? The Turtwig are big on family. Would she want Torterra to come with us? They had already said a very heartfelt goodbye. What would happen? Hestia didn't seem to know either. Eventually, she communicated she didn't want to go back. So, we are continuing on as before, with an egg.

Which brings us to the problem. Eggs don't go into Pokéballs. Even if they did, I don't have a spare. And even if I did have a spare, Hestia won't let it more than five inches from her. I think she's only put it down once since she laid it. So, she won't go back into her Pokéball. All this means that we can't hide a Charmeleon. And as you know, that's caused some problems. And soon we'll have a baby Charmander, double trouble. A lot of people here in Sinnoh have been very understanding of our presence. It's just that the ones who haven't been as accepting can be, unpleasant. And that's something a newborn shouldn't have to deal with. This is going to be a challenge, I think.

But at the same time, I'm so excited to see a baby Charmander! With Charizard passing, I feel like we've become connected somehow. Like Hestia and I may be carrying on some kind of tradition. My Charmeleon is having a baby.

-Samuel Oak

Oh, I forgot. The Turtwig that had been shunning me the whole time I was there, came to see me off. It let me pet it and say goodbye. I hope that means it forgave me for sitting on Torterra. Still didn't seem to like me very much.

July 28, 1961

Dear Ash,

Egg watch, day four. The egg is safe and healthy. I don't actually know how to tell if it has any problems, but it seems fine. It hasn't been dropped. Hestia has been keeping it warm. I can't feel anything moving inside, yet. Just a normal egg so far.

I'm still surprised that a Charmeleon and a Torterra can have an egg. They're completely different species. They don't have the same body types, habitat, eating habits, or really anything. Because of my father's Charizard, I've always known that Pokémon can breed with others outside their evolutionary line. This isn't a new thing to me. Still, it boggles the mind, doesn't it? How can this work? Really, how? I need to read some more. Or just ask Meredith next time I see her. Which I hope is soon.

It seems it won't be, though. We began our climb of Mt. Coronet a couple days ago. Finding a safe way up while Hestia has to walk with the egg has been tricky. And it's getting cold. The higher we go, the less it feels like summer. With Hestia out of her Pokéball, I've had a heater with me the whole time. It would have been nice to have brought more warm clothing, though. I didn't think it was worth carrying around when it was over seventy degrees out! And there's still more to climb. And even once we're up there, we'll have to walk along it to get to one of the towns I know is north or south. It's going to be a rough couple of days.

-Samuel Oak

September 1, 1961

Dear Ash,

We've made up. I wouldn't call it winter exactly, but there is frost throughout the day. This is probably the warmest it ever gets. Hestia is keeping the egg as warm as possible, considering the situation. She can't put it down and has to hold onto it even when she sitting. She doesn't seem to mind. Really glad we have the tent to trap the heat from her tail flame.

Finding people might not be as difficult as I thought. Yesterday, we arrived at a sort of plateau. There's nowhere in sight to climb. That doesn't mean much when literal clouds often prevent me from seeing more than a few hundred feet. The ground does ramp up and down, but it changes repeatedly no matter which direction I choose, so I can't figure out if I'm actually going up or down at all.

Hestia did, however, find a guide for us. Sometime today, Hestia pulled away briefly and asked me to follow. It looked like she was smelling something, and I thought it might be food. Instead, we ran into a red and grey, human shaped Pokémon, sitting on a rock, and it appeared to be meditating. And by appeared, I mean it sat cross legged and not moving for several minutes before responding to us being there. If I remember correctly, it was called a Medicham. Round legs, skinny arms, very quiet and docile. Pretty sure I'm right. When it did finally react to us, it still just sat and stared while Hestia and I tried asking for help. Then it invited us to sit, and went back to meditating. We did. I figured maybe it wanted something from us, or to do something specific, so I closed my eyes and waited. I got cold quickly, even with Hestia nearby.

Medicham eventually moved and got our attention. Through all the fog, it guided us to a huge stone, sticking out of the ground like a spire. From there, it pointed off in a direction, where I could see another stone like it. I felt stupid afterwards, because I didn't understand. Medicham had to walk us to the next stone and point out a third on in the distance. They were markers for a trail. This mountain is part of the pilgrimage of the Sinnoh temples. It makes sense for there to be signposts of some kind. Though these rocks are really big, making me wonder how they got them up here. Even big Pokémon would have had a tough time I think.

That's where Medicham left us, and we've been following the stones since. I don't know how far we have to go, but at least we have a specific direction to go in. It could take days to get down the mountain, maybe even a week or two. I can't be sure. I'm not even sure what day it is anymore. Sorry to say, but I may have lost count of the days, even with this journal to help me keep track. Who knows when I am right now. Or where. Still, with help from Medicham, we have a real hope of getting back to civilization.

-Samuel Oak


	19. September 6-October 25

September 6, 1961

Dear Ash,

Aside from a few Snorunt and Medicham in the distance, it's been a fairly uneventful few days. We're still heading down the mountain, following the stone marked path. Hestia has been taking good care of her egg. And we're running low on food. But what else is new?

Lucky for us, a town is in view. I can see the lights coming from the houses. But just because I can see it, doesn't mean I'm there. I estimate a good three hour walk, and the sun had already begun setting when I spotted it. Rather than risk getting lost again, in the dark, I'm camping for the night. Besides, I need to decide on the game plan with Hestia and her egg. I should go in myself first and get a feel for what the people are like. If they don't seem friendly towards foreigners, I can grab some food and some directions and go. It would be nice to spend some time around people for a change. I haven't had a normal conversation in almost a month. And I want to check my mail as soon as I can. We'll see how it goes.

Benedict has been restless. He thinks that since Hestia gets to stay out of her Pokéball all the time, he should too. If only he weren't such a handful. There's nothing to explore where we are. And I don't want to wander away from the stones. Yet he tries to go this way and that, looking for stuff. Hestia has been able to keep him mostly satisfied by letting him be around the egg. He has accepted it as one of his own. Either that, or he's declared himself the egg's personal bodyguard, I can't tell which. He surrounds the thing and talks to it, following it where ever Hestia takes it. And then he'll try to carry it or something, like he wants the egg to see an interesting blade of grass. Hestia never lets him, but he still tries. He does get bored and then misbehaves by himself. Usually he ends up back in the Pokéball.

Tomorrow marks my return to civilization. I think I'll write Meredith a letter while I'm there.

-Samuel Oak

September 7, 1961

Dear Ash,

I didn't stay in the town long. I went in and almost ran back out. We've put as much distance as we could between us and that town as we could. It was going fine, I found the shops and the hostel, there was a temple right in the center of everything. I thought we could relax and stay there the night. But when I was grabbing food, I overheard some people talking.

"I will never trust them."

"We never should have agreed to a cease fire."

"You mark my words, they'll do it again. They'll attack and the military won't do a damn thing to stop them because they're to concerned with 'peace'."

"I'd love to Hyper Beam the whole Kanto region to the ground."

There was hatred in their voices, Ash. I think they wanted to start the war again. He wanted to destroy my home. He wanted to kill my family. Could he have killed me, if he found out? I can't believe there are people who think like that. He hated me. I was scared. So I ran.

I didn't run right then. He would have noticed. I had to cash out as quickly as possible and leave. Once I was out on the mountain again, I ran. I ran all the way back to where Hestia was hiding. I was so glad she was safe, I dropped all the snacks I had. I had forgotten to even put them into my bag.

Before I had gone into the store, I managed to learn where we are exactly. Heading east down the road will lead us to Celestic Town. It's somewhere I was planning on going anyway. Now it's our best bet for safety, I hope. It's a pretty big place, from what I'm told. The people there may be more sympathetic. And even if they aren't, it's easier to hide in a big town than a small one. We can follow the road without spending too much time actually on it. If we're cautious, we can be there before our supplies run out again. Getting there without any trouble is the most important thing right now.

-Samuel Oak

September 10, 1961

Dear Ash,

I'm feeling bad about running out of town. I've had some time to think and I'm pretty sure I overreacted. Those people were saying some scary things, but they were just one group. It's natural for people who think the same things to talk. That doesn't mean everyone is like that. It's like the noodle shop in Veilstone City, where people who liked to see foreigners would be regulars. And there were others in the city who didn't like outsiders like me. So, that town back there may have been fine for me to stay for the day. I probably could have bought more, had a good conversation, eaten some restaurant food, visited the temple or the library. Those people and the rest of the people could have been way different. I should try to have a more open mind about these sorts of things.

Then there's the egg, which I may be overthinking. It's been about three weeks since Hestia laid it. How long do Pokémon eggs take to hatch? Is it different for each species of Pokémon? Charizard was always fathering eggs when I was a kid, but they weren't around long enough for me to learn how long it took. And of all the things that I'm constantly asking people about Pokémon, this is one thing I never asked! Three weeks seems like a really long time. It moves occasionally, so there's definitely something inside. It's alive.

But when will it hatch? It's making me nervous. Not to mention that then I'll have a Charmander to take care of and protect from people like the ones back there. Kids aren't well known for taking commands. It will be like having two Benedicts. I already have about six of him! And this one I won't be able to put away in a Pokéball. I haven't looked at the prices of new Pokéballs lately, but I'm pretty sure it's more than I can really afford. The whole thing is giving me grey hairs!

For now, I'm glad we're safe. And I'll do my best to keep it that way.

-Samuel Oak

September 11, 1961

Dear Ash,

I never seem to tell you about normal days lately. I swear I do have them. Days where nothing strange or important happens to me, like yesterday. Today was not one of those. I've been sticking close to the road, so as to not get lost. But since what happened in the last town is still bothering me, I've made sure to not actually be on the road most of the time. Which is more than a little annoying. The road was made the way it was for a reason, it was the easiest part of the terrain. Everywhere else has bushes and large rocks and steep slopes. Many of them can be dangerous, which forces me onto the road.

While I'm on the road, we can't hide very well. And we get surprise guests. You'd think I could have seen him coming, but he just popped out of the trees like some kind of Apom. He and I just stared at each other for a while. No "hi", or "my name is Sam", or anything like that. We were both confused. We had good reason to be, since we had met before. It was just so long ago that we both had trouble placing the other. The clue was that Hestia growled at him. Once he noticed that, he figured it out. He remembered who I was and everything. Everything.

It was Ryan. Way back, remember I was in a place called Statuary Town? Where everything revolved around art? When I was there, I met a couple of guys, Derek and Ryan. Ryan was the son of the head of the museum that was retiring. One day, he followed me into forest and caught me with Hestia. We had a battle and then he told everyone in town I was from Kanto.

So the moment I figured it out, I moved to protect Hestia. All those fears came right back and I wished I had stayed off that stupid road. I was ready to fight him of need be. To my surprise, he didn't want to. He wasn't angry or afraid. Ryan backed down. In fact, he apologized for the way he had acted before. He had seen the way people treated me after he had told them and how I had been hurt by it. Ryan decided I wasn't some spy, but a kid. And he said that that was proven true by Hestia's egg. Only a parent would be that protective, and no soldier would allow their Pokémon to breed while on mission. We are just tourists.

Hestia and I weren't sold on his change of heart at first. He insisted on at least sharing his food as an apology. We ended up having lunch together. Ryan had stayed in Statuary Town for a while, but felt out of place and decided to go back to his training. Bronzor and Skorupi are doing well and had fun playing with Benedict. Hestia didn't join for obvious reasons. Ryan's next stop is a tiny village a couple days north of here. So tiny that it only shows up on a few specific maps of the area. Most people forget it's even there. He said that they only get newspapers once a month. And there's one television in a eight mile radius. Ryan has a lot of friends there apparently and he wants to help out in the fields while he can. I told him about the Turtwig herd, and just like I predicted, he didn't believe me until I showed him all of the drawings. Is it bad that I enjoyed how jealous he was.

When Ryan asked where I was going I said I wanted to get to Celestic town because I was short on supplies. He asked why I hadn't gotten more in the last town and I told him about the people there. He understood why I ran away. He said he heard people talking about Kanto the same way the last time he was in a town, too. He told me to cheer up, that things won't always be like this. It'll all get resolved, somehow. I hope he's right...

-Samuel Oak

September 18, 1961

Dear Ash,

Here's the thing, I'm in jail. I'm okay. Worried, scared, bored, and confused, but not hurt. I didn't do anything wrong, not exactly. It's complicated, and a long story. I've been in here a few days, ironically since my birthday. I'm being treated mostly okay so far. I'm sharing my cell with two of the locals at the moment, but thankfully they aren't the sort to attack a kid, even if I am from Kanto. There are laws for the ethical treatment of Pokémon, so even though Benedict hasn't been with me, I know he's being taken care of. Ryan hasn't convinced them to let me see Benedict yet, but he has checked and Benedict is okay. Yeah, Ryan's in town, too. Like I said, it's a long story.

September 13 was my thirteenth birthday. Hestia and I had made it to the outskirts of town. I decided once again, to leave Hestia outside town with her egg. So that there wouldn't be trouble... Didn't really work out. I went in, and the city looked nice. Lots of old buildings. First, I went to buy food and other supplies, in case I had to run out again. It was going well and I had some time before I told Hestia I would be back, and it was my birthday so I went shopping for new clothing.

He must have heard me talking to the saleslady helping me out, I didn't even notice him. As I was leaving, a policewoman appeared and asked me for identification. I was surprised and panicked, but I gave her my passport and papers saying I was allowed to be in the region. When she asked if I was from Kanto, even though she was reading it, I had to say yes, and she took me in for questioning.

Part of the terms for being here is that I have to obey all the local laws and accept basically any request from law enforcement. They questioned me for what felt like hours, there was no clock so I'm not sure. Then they searched my bag and that's how I got into real trouble. My paperwork says I have two Pokémon, an Exeggcute and a Charmeleon. I have the trainer-Pokémon registration forms and they are listed and confirmed on my other paperwork. Problem was, they checked the Pokéballs and only found Benedict. The other Pokéball was empty.

When they asked where the Charmeleon was, I had to say something. I wanted to say that I'd tell them if they took me to go get her, but I thought better of it. I told them where she was and I warned them she would hide from anyone but me. But, I was too scared to tell them about the egg. They sent someone out but didn't find her. They didn't like that and arrested me. I've been in this cell since, except for the occasional trip to the interrogation room.

It has been five days. I haven't seen Hestia for five days. They took Benedict and I haven't seen him either. I'm so worried, I don't know what I'll do if something happens to them. And I'm sitting here, doing nothing! They won't listen to anything I say. I'm just a prisoner. It's all so frustrating! I want to go home. Exploring Sinnoh doesn't feel worth all of this trouble. All this fear and anger and people treating us like this. Maybe I never should have come.

And yet, there's more. I haven't caught you up. Yesterday, out of nowhere, Ryan shows up. I was surprised they even let him see me, but he's apparently been very persuasive with them. When he reached that village, he watched the news and found out what was happening. Not to me, but in the world, you could say. Sinnoh, Kanto, Johto, and other regions have been working together to try and establish a kind of lasting peace. It's been working out, which is why I can be here at all. About a month ago, when I was lost somewhere nowhere near a newspaper, the talks went to the Muk. Ryan didn't give the details, just saying that everything came to a standstill, at first. Then the more they tried to move forward, the worse things got. Now, Sinnoh has started moving troops around and everyone else seems to be doing the same. People are saying another war could begin at any moment.

So I, being from Kanto and having no idea about all this, walk around an old and respected town like I belong. And according to Ryan, someone noticed me. A customer at the clothing shop, was a veteran from the last two wars. He recognized my accent. I didn't think I talked much differently than anyone else in the region. I haven't noticed it. But he did. He could tell I wasn't from Sinnoh and reported me to the police. Which wouldn't have been a big deal if I had had all the Pokémon I was supposed to have and if the regions of the world weren't about to try to destroy each other. Again. And again, here I am.

But at long last, there is some good news. First, I gave Ryan Hestia's general location. I didn't think she'd wander too far, but I also doubted that she would show herself to him. I had him bring her food that he gave to his Bronzor to leave for Hestia. They left it out there yesterday and today it was gone. Hopefully that means she ate it, and not some other Pokémon. Hestia's good at foraging, but I still worry. The second thing, is that he convinced them to let me have a couple of my things. As evidenced by how I'm writing to you right now. Don't ask me how he did it, I don't know. He hasn't gotten them to return Benedict, he's trying though. I also asked him to write a letter to Meredith, to let her know what's happened. She probably can't do anything more than Ryan has to help. Still, I want her to know.

I don't know how long I'll be in here. If a war starts, I may never get out. Even if it doesn't start, I may never get out. I don't want to spend the rest of my life inside a prison cell. I miss my mom. I miss my dad. And my brothers. I want to go home. Please, let me go home.

-Samuel Oak

September 19, 1961

Dear Ash,

Things are basically the same. Still in jail. Still no Benedict. Ryan left food in the forest that was gone when he went to check on it. I can't do anything for Hestia or for myself. It's been another day of doing nothing.

-Samuel Oak

September 20, 1961

Dear Ash,

Lucky for me I haven't been shipped off to an actual prison. No one is hiding the fact that they would love to, though. I think they can't because of the situation. The terms of my stay say that if I break any of the rules, I can be kicked out without any kind of trial. That's the best case. Worst case, I get put on trial and am sentenced to fifty years for walking on the grass. I have broken the rules by not having my registered Pokémon with me. The whole reason that's there is so I don't use them for sabotage or as an invasive species or something. The thing is, they can't send me back. Kanto and Sinnoh are at each other's throats, so they aren't in the mood to trade, you might say. I'm essentially a prisoner of war, even though there isn't officially a war yet and I'm no soldier. Ryan says they don't know what to do with me yet, but a cell in the police station is as good as anywhere to keep an eye on me.

I don't get a cell to myself, I have to share it with other people who have been arrested. Most of the time it's someone who was drunk or got caught 'walking on the grass'. Today I had a cellmate who was drunk and who assaulted someone. When he heard why I was in there, he started threatening me. I'd rather not talk about what he was saying, he sounded like he meant every word. The guards ignored it for a long time, until I was about to start crying, before they moved him to the next cell. But he kept doing it through the wall. And I think the only reason they even did that much is because I'm still a kid...

I'm okay now. And he's been released. My current cell mate was having an argument with her neighbor and got a little out of control. She was nice at first, if still a bit upset. She stopped being friendly when she found out about me. Now she's ignoring me as loudly as she can. It's better than being threatened. And that's the best I can get at the moment.

-Samuel Oak

September 21, 1961

Dear Ash,

Well, at least one thing went right today. Only one. One of the officers assigned to watch the jail cells had her daughter visiting. I happened to notice, since I had nothing else to do, that she had a Sneasel with her. He, the Sneasel, wouldn't stay put. And it was acting out by intentionally scratching things or pushing them over. The officer and her daughter were trying to get it to listen to them, and were getting louder and louder about it. I had a hunch, and so I gave a command and made the hand gesture. Sure enough, Sneasel came right to me expecting treats. He was one of Stacy's Sneasel. You know, the woman who kept, breed, and raised Sneasel I met a while ago. Stacy had taught me a few commends she used to keep them under control. Handy, it seems. I gave Sneasel a pet and told the officer that I believed it wanted more exercise, and maybe a few ice cubes. She didn't take it great, even when I tried to explain that I had met Stacy. But no one listens to me in here.

I'm tired. I try to sleep, but I keep waking up from nightmares about being stuck in a small room for the rest of my life, to find myself in a small room I can't get out of. There's a window to the outside, and that's all I've seen of the sun. Everytime they bring in someone new, I'm afraid they're going to yell and threaten me. The best I can hope for at the moment is for them not to bother with me and leave me alone. Most of them don't, but then again, over the past few days, about half of them have been drunk. I had three different people in here today. One is the lady from yesterday. Then a shoplifter. Then a drunk.

I don't know what I'm going to do, Ash. Writing you is the only thing I can do to talk to someone. Ryan stopped in earlier, but they didn't let him stay long. He still hasn't seen Hestia. She better be okay. Is she getting enough to eat. Is she safe? What if a wild Pokémon tried to take her egg? She can't fight and hold onto it at the same time. And Benedict must be going out of his mind. He hasn't been away from me like this since before we met. Definitely not since the incident with Raticate.

I don't have my sketchbook, so I can't draw. Not that I really want to right now. And I have no books to read. If they keep me in here for as long as the war goes on, do you think they'll eventually let me have a book. Or a newspaper? Will I be allowed to write a letter to my family? I'll probably never see them again, so it would be nice to at least write and let them know where I am. Probably not. No one would let mail be sent to the enemy. I have to face the fact that I may be stuck in this cell for the rest of my life. And I just realized, I'm running out of pages.

-Samuel Oak

September 22, 1961

Dear Ash,

Today was a good day. Better than any day I thought I would ever have again. I'm still in jail, and my new cell mate is yelling at the guy in the next cell, whom he was arrested for fighting with. And I'm as happy as I can be inside three walls of concrete and one of bars. It's the best thing to happen to me since I found the herd of Turtwig.

Meredith is here, in Celestic Town. She got the letter Ryan sent her, and dropped everything to come. She cut short her meetings with the elders of the village she was in, got on a bus, and skipped over four towns, just to help me. I can't tell you how much that means to me. I nearly fell apart when I saw her. She's here, Meredith is here.

Celestic Town knew she was coming, but not so soon. And being a Joy, she has at least some respect by the name alone. Enough that she's set up a meeting with the mayor to negotiate my release. Or, she's made an appointment to set up a time. She says they may try to stonewall her. But she's assured me she'll get me out. I'm just happy to see her. That alone brings back so much joy, pun intended. I told her not to risk her mission, and she told me to be a good boy and let her deal with it. I want to fight with her about it, but not as much as I want to see Hestia again. I can't, even if it means it hurts the Joy reputation, I want out. Does that make me a bad person? Meredith would probably say no.

Meredith's only been here a day and she and Ryan have managed to convinced them to let me see Benedict. She wanted Benedict to be released to her, but a visit with me was all they could do. A pair of officers were standing right there with their own Skuntank and Croagunk to make sure I didn't try anything. It meant a lot to me when Ryan complained about it. He said I wouldn't try to escape, that I was a Pokémon lover, not a criminal. Hard to believe we had a battle over basically the same thing a few months ago.

Benedict might as well have Tackled me to the floor with all the force he used. Did you think that six big eggs were light? Think again, I might have bruises tomorrow. Happy bruises. But I got him back by hugging him so hard I could have cracked a shell. I couldn't stop myself from laughing the whole time. Each head got its own chance to be thrown up into the air like a baby. Happiny and Benedict did a dance. And I even got to feed him his dinner. I fed him one at a time, by hand. I don't think I've ever put that much effort into feeding him. It was pure joy.

He didn't want to go, he didn't listen when they told him to come away. I had to tell him it was okay. I told him it wouldn't be forever, but it had to be this way right now. Do I even believe that myself? At this moment, I think I kind of do. Meredith has brought me hope. I will get through this. I will get home one day. I know I will.

-Samuel Oak

September 25, 1961

Dear Ash,

They found her! Hestia finally came out of her hiding spot and showed herself. Ryan has been trying this whole time, but it was probably Meredith that convinced her. Wasn't easy for Meredith either, they said. That doesn't matter, Hestia's safe. She's been eating, or she wasn't starving at least. She isn't hurt. And the egg is ready to hatch. Any day now, according to Meredith. A week at the most. Which means I want to get out of here to see it happen. Fat chance.

For the moment, Hestia's nervous and they decided to leave her in the woods. I approved. We don't know exactly what the police will do if we bring her into town. There's no guarantee they'll let me go just because I have the Pokémon from my paperwork back. That wouldn't change the fact that I broke the rules by not having her with me at all times. Nor would it end the political tension. They may just confiscate Hestia too, and the egg. And Hestia will defend that egg, with force, I'm sure.

So we're waiting until we have more solid footing. Not that I can do anything but wait. Ryan's trying to see if anyone he knows from Statuary Town has any kind of pull. I'm shocked by how long he's stuck around. He didn't have to come for me. And he didn't have to do so much on my behalf. After all, he knows exactly where they're all coming from. Ryan is giving it his all. It's not as much as Meredith can do, but he really has tried. The fact that he's been there and supported me means a lot. I owe him.

Meredith, has decided to go to the extreme. She's so stubborn. Even though I said it's going too far, she's going to use her family's influence. The Joy Clan might be getting involved. They don't have much power in Sinnoh, and there are only three of them in the whole region right now, but they have a reputation. The Joys have made themselves known to everyone with any kind of power. They're on almost everyone's good side. That's what Meredith has been saying anyway. It's comforting, but if they really had that many connections, I doubt they would be working so hard to get approval for the clinics. At any rate, she's reaching out for their help. I am both grateful and terrified... Hope is still all that I have, but I sure do have a lot more of it right now.

-Samuel Oak

September 30, 1961

Dear Ash,

They did it! I'm being released tomorrow! This may be the last night I spend in a cell. It hasn't been made official, because there is some resistance and they don't actually want to do it, but Meredith says they have to.

Through days of negotiating and debates and interviews and some choice statements from the Joy family over the phone, they came to an agreement of sorts. First, I had to produce Hestia. They had to see that she was still in my hands, more or less. Second, they wanted to see the egg. I avoided saying anything about the egg as much as I could, I wasn't sure what would happen, except make things worse. They found out from this, my letters to you, Ash. Before Ryan convinced them to give me it back, someone read it to make sure it didn't contain spy information or something. They aren't totally convince the whole journal isn't an elaborate lie, but believe it enough to have demanded to see the egg. And third, if I am let go, I have to return to Kanto. They will allow me to take a ship to a neutral region, where I can then catch another ship home. At my own expense of course.

Ryan was, and is, very suspicious of the deal. I don't like it much myself. There wasn't much else to do, though. Meredith and Ryan have been fighting with them non-stop and this is as far as we've gotten. And I have to admit, it's not unreasonable for them to want to see Hestia and want me to leave. If they stick to their word.

With a lump of fear the size of a Wailord, I agreed. Meredith and Ryan brought Hestia to the police station. They agreed to let me be there for the examination, but not actually do anything. I wanted so badly to run across to the room to hug Hestia, but I couldn't. Hestia submitted to the poking and the measuring, and in a show of faith I hadn't expected, let Ryan hold the egg while she was returned to her Pokéball to prove it was hers. She took the egg right back after, but wow. The egg was examined, from the safety of Hestia's claws and fangs, ready to burn the examiner alive at a moment's notice. Hestia and the egg are in custody, but part of the deal was that Meredith or Ryan are with her at all times.

I overheard the police people talking, and Ryan and Meredith confirmed after, the mayor is ordering them to let me go. The chief doesn't trust me and wants to just send me to a prison somewhere and keep Benedict and Hestia. The mayor apparently isn't against the idea, he thinks I'm a spy, too. But they haven't the 'legal grounds' or something like that. Meredith says the Joys' lawyers are making them honor the deal and the law. I thought they would have to obey the law anyway, being you know, the people who carry out the law. But Meredith and Ryan say that it doesn't actually work that way most of the time. If it did, we wouldn't have half the number of problems or wars.

As it stands, the chief has to let me free and give back my Pokémon in the morning. An escort will be assigned to accompany me to the Sunyshore City port and make sure I get on the ship. I wish I could have explored more of Sinnoh, but after all of this, I'm ready to go home. Maybe one day I can come back and finish my journey. If the world can work out it's own problems.

-Samuel Oak

October 1, 1961

Dear Ash,

These past few weeks, Ash, I don't know. Things just keep happening. It has been crazy. I was in jail for less than a month, and it felt like forever. I get out, and I feel like I haven't slept in a week. I don't mean that I didn't get any sleep last night, I mean this day may have lasted a week, if you consider how tired I am. You can bet your Pikachu, I will be out like a dead light bulb after I finish here. I want to get this down while it's still fresh.

Yes, I was released this morning. I was given my things, Benedict and Hestia's Pokéballs, and a new chaperone, Officer Allison Jenny. Jenny for short. Meredith, Ryan, and Hestia met me outside the station. It was a sunny day. There could have been a typhoon and I still would have loved the weather. I threw caution to the winds and released Benedict, then the three of us laughed and hugged and cried. Right there in the open.

Jenny suggested we get moving. By this point I shouldn't have been that surprised, but Meredith and Ryan had already bought the tickets and food for the trip. They were coming with me. They said they want to make sure I get home safe. Or at least to the coast safe. Ryan said he wanted to keep me out of trouble. He may have a point there. I wanted to spend some time with my Pokémon and the bus wasn't leaving for another couple hours. Being that Hestia might not be welcome in town, and my own infamy, Jenny agreed that we could hang out in one of her favorite clearings.

We ate, we played, we talked. The egg is moving so much, I can't believe it hasn't cracked. Hestia was very affectionate. And a little thin, she hadn't been getting enough to eat. It must have been the stress, she doesn't eat right when she's upset or stressed. Benedict had to have at least one head on me at all times, if not more. He sobbed and buried himself in my clothing. I didn't mind one bit. In fact, I may have been the one to hold him too close. We'll call it even. Ryan and Meredith talked about what to do next and about how Hestia had been last night. Hestia has taken a shine to Ryan. Maybe it's the fact that we've been apart for weeks, but I'm not thrilled about them being such close friends. She's my best friend. But he can play with her, sometimes. I'm kidding. Mostly. And he really wants to play with her now.

Now we come to why I'm so exhausted. Everything up to that point in the day had been going pretty well. And if that had continued, I'd still be tired, but probably less worn out. Okay, let's do this.

I don't know where they came from or how we didn't hear them. We were nearly surrounded. People from the town, including a couple officers I recognized, and their Pokémon. Meredith, Ryan, Happiny, Benedict, Bronzor, Skorupi, Hestia, and I all gathered together. They asked for me and my Pokémon to be handed over. Jenny was the first to take a stand. Looking back, it was incredible. She stood up for me against a crowd of dozens. People she knew. People she lived and worked with. She called out to some by name, telling them to stop. They didn't. Their Pokémon advanced first. Sneasel, Staravia, Ponyta, Stunky, Skuntank, Croagunk, and others I didn't recognize or just can't remember. Jenny tried to stare them down. Again, they didn't listen. One of them attacked, knocking her to the ground.

Meredith used her commanding voice to tell them to back down. Shaming them for how they were behaving and lecturing them about how I was still a person who had done nothing wrong. They attacked her too. Or they would have, if our Pokémon hadn't jumped in the way. Bronzor, Skorupi, and even Benedict. Ryan and I gave commands to protect Jenny and Meredith. I don't remember most of it. Just the pleading to stop and wanting them to go away. I didn't want anyone else getting hurt. I didn't want to fight. Not for something like this. Not for fear or hatred. Not for my life or for the lives of my friends. Not like that.

I was suddenly holding the egg. I didn't take it, it was just there. I barely had time to question why before Hestia jumped out in front of us and unleashed the largest Flamethrower I've ever seen. That one was a warning, none of the mob's Pokémon were burned. And they must have thought she was bluffing, because the Pokémon came for us again.

Silence. Everyone froze. A blinding light. The brightest spot, at the source, grew, changed. Hestia rose up, reaching for the sky with her long neck. She stomped with her massive claws. And from her back, a pair of wings sprouted and flapped a windstorm in the same motion. When the light cleared, she roared, a Charizard.

This time they hesitated. Hestia didn't. She Flamethrowered, followed by Slashes as they recoiled. She tail slammed some and she carried others into the air to drop them. A Wing Attack, a Fury Swipe, a Crunch. Adding to the list of things I didn't realize were happening, I was telling her what to do. Hestia and I were facing off against a horde of enemies all on our own. But the shock of her evolution wore off and they started fighting back, working together to take the two of us down. Hestia started taking damage.

Meredith appeared next to me and shook my arm to get my attention. She said we had to go. We had to run. She returned Happiny, Ryan and I did the same. Except for with Hestia. In a moment of clarity, I realized we didn't have to run. Hestia knew exactly what I wanted when I told her to Smokescreen. She covered to whole clearing in a cloud of smog. I couldn't breath for a second, before I felt myself lifted onto something big and hot. I held onto the egg for dear life and I heard gasps of confusion from under me.

Next thing, we're in the air, flying away. I've never had too much of a problem with heights, but it would have been nice to have a seat belt or something. I could see for miles. Trees, lakes, mountains, and a town slowly getting smaller. I either ran out of air from how high we were or I just forgot how to breath. And it was chilly, even on a fiery lizard. But that view was worth the discomfort. For me. Meredith, Ryan, and Jenny weren't riding Hestia so much as being hugged into place. And Hestia had some problems too. She had never flown before. New muscles are touchy, I imagine. Then add the cargo to that, which Pokémon normally have a special move for, and there was a problem. She couldn't stay steady. We shook and moved randomly. I told her to land, and technically we did. Just with a bit more force than I had intended.

We all lived. We're safe. And not a single townsfolk in sight. We did it.

Another normal day, right Ash? Jenny agreed it was best to just walk to the next town with a bus stop. We've spent that last few hours admiring Hestia's new form. She's quite fond of it. As am I. She's already posed for pictures, go check them out.

And now I will take my leave. To go sleep under the wing of my new Charizard. Out in the open air. A free man. More or less.

-Samuel Oak

October 2, 1961

Dear Ash,

It's a boy! We have a new addition to the family, little Charmander. We nearly missed the egg hatching, it cracked before the sun even came up. If Hestia hadn't made a fuss when she did, we wouldn't have seen baby Charmander light his flame for the very first time. It's so little, I've seen candles with bigger lights. Meredith said that's probably normal given the size and how he's never eaten before. She was the one to clean him off and look him over with a breeder's eye. All while Hestia loomed over her. Which is kind of terrifying now.

To my wonderment, Meredith had planned way further ahead than I had. I mean, what do you feed a baby Pokémon. I didn't think about it, but he can't eat the same stuff as Hestia, not until his fangs are more developed. But Meredith had anticipated this problem and bought a few bags of, well, bugs. And bug Pokémon parts. It's not like a whole bug Pokémon. Unlike other Pokémon, when some bug types evolve they leave behind remains. Those have some uses and stores will sell them if you know where to look. So little animal bugs and bug Pokémon leavings were Charmander's first meal. Delicious.

He's so orange and smooth. Hestia was never this smooth. Certainly not anymore. You should see him try to walk. He has to stay on all fours so he won't fall over. Which he does anyway. And he tries to speak but he can only make this tiny squeaking noise! It's adorable! I wish you could see him.

He fits right in with the family, being a bit of an adventurer. He licked and sniffed every one of Benedict's heads. He tried to chew on Ryan's Bronzor. Happiny gave him an egg which he broke after five minutes. While we were taking turns holding him, again with Hestia's supervision, we realized he likes heights. Putting him on Hestia's head seemed like the natural thing to do then. And now whenever she is being affectionate with her snout, Charmander thinks it's time for another ride.

I don't think it's too early to say, Hestia has fallen into her role as a mother quickly. Charmander hasn't left her sight, but she's letting him explore. Within reason. Her reason. Jenny wanted to carry him while we were walking. Hestia, who mind you has never held a baby before, tried instruct Jenny on how to hold Charmander. Jenny did not pass the class. But I did. I got to carry him for a whole hour. Then Hestia took him back and blew harmless Embers at him. Which he thoroughly enjoyed.

I love him so much. And I'm so proud of Hestia. She gets to take care of this new life, this new person. Makes me hope I get to do the same thing myself, some day. For now, I'm going to enjoy having a little baby version of Hestia.

-Samuel Oak

October 16, 1961

Dear Ash,

It has been busy and crazy and I haven't had the energy to write. Sorry, Ash. I'll catch you up quickly. Charmander is walking, talking, and spitting fires. I'm not saying he's using Ember yet, since that would mean he's doing it on purpose. He coughs or sneezes and sparks come out. He has graduated to eating the same kind of food as Hestia, so no more special diet. Charmander is also Benedict's new favorite person. They are inseparable, except when mommy says so.

We're just about to Veilstone City. Getting on each bus is a bit of a hassle. For one, Hestia still doesn't want to go back into her Pokéball and leave Charmander. And she's kind of big now. Also, we have two Kanto Pokémon, just out there for everyone to see. Honestly, less than a third of people even know what they are or where they're from, but those who do tend to make a fuss. Jenny has been so much help in that regard. She just waves her badge and tells them that we are under her protection and she's escorting us somewhere. More often than not, the person ends up saying something like "good riddance". Sometimes not that nicely. She and Meredith are also usually able to convince the bus drivers to let Hestia sit in the very back. A sight which would be comical, if I wasn't the one being pressed into the window.

Meredith and I have been making the most of our time, since we won't be able to travel together anymore. And probably never again. Honestly, I think that's going to be the hardest thing about leaving. I haven't told her how I feel, and I don't think I should. Not like this. She's seriously impeded her duty to the Joy family for me. Not meeting with officials at the pre-scheduled time really hurts her ability to get them to agree to the clinic proposal. But she insists on seeing me off. I can't put more on her by telling her I like her.

I've also had time to talk with Ryan and Jenny. Ryan was studying what he called 'meditative battling' in the mountains. Which sounds like a contradiction of terms to me. But he thinks of it as being one with your Pokémon as they battle, understanding their movements and feelings and so forth. I told him about my old training regimine and he said it was a lot like that. Jenny comes from a long line of female police officers, known as the Jenny family. They're a lot like the Joys, since they have branches of the family in almost every region of the world. She was going to tell me about their history, but she was interrupted by feeding time and we forgot about it.

All in all, it's going fine right now. Another week or so and I'll be back on a ship, going home. I haven't written home in a while, my parents have no idea about what happened. And since the tension between us and Sinnoh is ramping up, they must be worried. Won't they be surprised when I just show up at the front door?

-Samuel Oak

October 25, 1961

Dear Ash,

This will be my last entry in this journal. There's literally eight pages left. This is also an ending. I started this journal on my way to Sinnoh, and while I didn't plan it this way, it's fitting that it end when I leave. Sinnoh has been the craziest adventure of my entire life. Maybe even crazier than how we met, Ash. Making friends, meeting Meredith, learning about all kinds of new Pokémon and how to take care of them. I learned about the wars, and how it's still alive in many people. But not in everyone. I've been chased, threatened, scared for the well being of myself and my Pokémon. I was there when a Stunky turned a forest into a no go zone. I met a Carvana who lost its teeth. I found a herd of rare Turtwig and watched my Hestia evolve. And I only explored the east half of the region.

Tomorrow I'll be saying goodbye to my best human friend, Meredith. Who I wish I could stay with. She's taught me so much, and given me the determination to learn even more. She suggested if I don't mind not traveling, that I should go back to school. There are courses entirely dedicated to the study of Pokémon. She even offered to ask her family for a letter of recommendation. Which seems like a lot to ask after everything I've done to get in the way of their grand plan for the Pokémon Health and Treatment Clinics. But I do like the idea of a more focused study of Pokémon.

I haven't known Jenny or Ryan that long, but I'll miss them too. I think Jenny will go far in her department. Once the townsfolk forgive her for defending me.

As for Ryan, well, he's getting something else. He's been good for the last month and a half. He's been friendly and caring and incredibly loyal. I was in jail for crying out loud and he still did everything he could to help me! And he's so good with the Pokémon. Hestia trusts him and Charmander adores him. Which is why we're leaving Charmander with Ryan.

Hestia and I have talked about it, we have been for the last few days. She thinks he'll be happy with Ryan and wants Charmander to have the kind of friendship she and I have. I think, Hestia is still a Charizard after all, I have to kind of guess what she's saying. Meredith agreed, going as far as to say that having a Kanto Pokémon in Sinnoh might be good for opening up people's minds. Or cause Ryan just as much grief as I've had. Officially registering Charmander to him might cause some trouble too. I still haven't updated Hestia's registration. There hasn't been time. Hope he's ready for it, I spent all the money that didn't go toward my ticket home on a Pokéball that we're giving him tomorrow. I've got an address where we can reach him, so we'll stay in contact with Charmander. This is hard for Hestia, and myself, and it's scary, but maybe good too.

Big changes all around. It's too bad I didn't get to see all of Sinnoh. But who knows, maybe I'll be back some day. The world can't fight forever.

-Samuel Oak

* * *

 **April 14, 2019  
Dear Audience,**

 **For those who have made it this far into my meandering story, thank you. It means a lot that you have read and hopefully enjoyed something that I have created (it's more like building a deck onto someone else's house, but that's kind of what we're here for).**

 **You probably noticed the level of finality to this latest chapter. Many elements came to a head and were resolved, ending with a slightly drawn out farewell (I say slightly because compared to some of my previous chapters this was down right brief. And the better for it I think. I'm a work in progress). It basically beat you over the head with the fact that it was the end, much like the Scrubs season 8 finale. And just like that finale, this isn't actually the end. Not forever.  
**

 **Over the course of writing in Sammy's place, there have been many chapters where I have felt it to be a slog to write. And I think that comes through in the quality. My determination to maintain 'realism' with the spacing of journal entries has been a series of foot sized sink holes in my path. Originally, the events of this chapter were going to take place three or more chapters later. And possibly take longer to resolve. And not be the end of Sinnoh. But that would have been more than any of us could take, I think.**

 **I have more ideas and things I want to do with Samy's story. But a break is due. I have my own original work I want to focus on for a while. And I need time to reflect on whether or not my tale for Sammy Oak needs to continue, and in what way. I'd like to, and at this point I plan to return later this year, but I need time.**

 **So thank you again to everyone. I look forward to writing you again.**

 **-cyhuciga (yes that's my username. Don't even try to pronounce it, you'll hurt yourself)**


End file.
